Draika
by Nekkyou Hiryuu
Summary: A new girl transfers to Hogwarts with a hidden past and some dangerous secrets... It's finished, and I thank you all.
1. Prologue

~Draika~  
  
Prologue  
  
For as long as she could remember, she'd been different. Oh, nothing you'd really see on the outside-she was careful to keep it hidden. If you asked about why she always wore that long black cloak that trailed on the floor, you'd get some very foul mouth indeed. But she wanted to tell. It was…painful for her. Very painful indeed. But no one knew, and fewer asked. She asked herself everyday…  
  
Why?  
  
On her eleventh birthday, like all the other years, Draika changed, painfully changed. But this time, it was different. Splitting pain…pain…down her back…her feet… Blinded, she stumbled over to the low couch in her little room, curling up like so many other times, to wait it out. Somehow she was able to fall asleep, probably from exhaustion. When she woke, that's when she found out. Lifting her pounding head, she looked out the single window that gave her a wonderful view of Romania's landscape. Already, the workers that lived in the boarding house like her were up, clanging in the kitchen. Draika stood shakily, hungry as well.  
  
Something brushed against her leg. No, something on her leg brushed against her other leg. Her feet clunked oddly as she dragged them on the floor. Her arms itched.  
  
Draika blinked sleepily. What now? She'd had a rough enough night…but she knew the disease had gone a giant's step further to ruin her life…she had to see it. Holding her breath, she looked down…and let out a bloodcurdling scream before falling to the floor.  
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Well! Did I grab your attention yet? J Keep in mind this is a prologue-the actual story takes place four years after this. 


	2. Packing

~Draika~  
  
Chapter One: Packing  
  
Draika sat up, groaning. What time was it? Looking out her window, it seemed to be very early in the morning. So much the better--she didn't care for the stares she now got in the commons of the Leaky Cauldron. For the past four years, after her…incident…her life had been changed forever.   
---  
That very morning she collapsed of shock on her bedroom floor, a very peculiar thin happened. Three owls had flown in her open window, two carrying letters, and one carrying a small package. At first Draika had been afraid…after all, she'd certainly gone through enough ordeals to last her several lifetimes. But she had always loved animals, and soon she had accepted their parcels, and they were off. One handsome grey fellow even let her stroke his breast before taking off.  
  
Hands trembling, she carefully opened the first letter, afraid of what she might find. To her relief, it was an ordinary letter, written on ordinary paper in ordinary red ink.   
What she would read next would send her on a path she would have never dreamed.  
  
'Draika V'tana-  
  
It has come to my attention that last night you experienced a large advancement in your mysterious disease. Do not tell anyone. This is serious stuff, and the muggles would just stuff you in a circus tent. Go to the Marlith's Ferry at 6 pm tonight.'  
  
Draika stared at the word 'muggles'. Shaking her head, she read on:  
  
'On a the bright side, this disease only affects wizarding folk. I am pleased to inform you that you are accepted into Lambaskian's Academy For Young Witches And Wizards. The ferry leaves at the time said before. Your supplies will be provided for you-I understand this is very short notice, but it is of utmost importance you make contact with the wizarding world as soon as possible.'  
  
"What?" Draika had asked to no one. "A…witch? Me?" she'd heard of such things from the workmen in the bar, but had paid no heed-even they thought they were just spinning fairy tales.  
  
'Please wear your longest cloak, and bring only foodstuffs for one meal. I look forward to talking with you upon your arrival, as there are many important things you need to know.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Cirrus Lambaskian, Headmaster'  
---  
Draika reread the letter…she had kept it until even now as a reminder of what her life had been like before. She hadn't had a clue as to what was wrong with her, and the many doctor's visits were only more and more shaming. She hated being different. Hated it!   
---  
As she opened the second letter, Draika found it was written on a yellowed piece of parchment in emerald ink.  
  
'Draika V'tana-'  
  
"Here we go again…"  
  
'You should be happy to know you have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. I have considered your condition, and nevertheless found you to be an excellent aspiring witch. The train leaves at eleven from King's Cross in London. Don't worry about what to bring-I'll make sure you have everything you need.  
  
-Professor McGonagall,  
  
Transfiguration Professor'  
  
Draika was stunned. TWO schools wanted her? Or were these just choices she could make-maybe every witch and wizard in England was offered more than one school. Turning over McGonagall's letter, she found a PostScript:  
  
'PS-I hope Canon didn't bother you too much for praise-he can be very insistent.'  
  
She smiled. Canon was a perfect name for the big gray owl. At the moment, she was still very much stricken with the thought of her being a witch and going off to school to learn magic…and to find help; she thought she'd go to Lambaskian's-it was much closer than London!  
---  
Draika folded up both letters and placed them in her trunk, trying to remember why she'd decided to switch schools.   
  
"Ah well.." she muttered to herself. "No going back now…"  
  
Then she lifted one more item off her nightstand…  
---  
Looking nervously at the parcel the third owl had left, Draika lifted it gingerly. It wasn't very large, maybe four inches long, one inch wide. Tiny, in fact. Opening it curiously, a necklace clattered onto the floor. A glowing white stone the size of her big toe…well, if she had HAD a big toe anymore, it would have been about the size of it. The stone was hung on a leather cord. Looking inside the box for anything else, Draika found a note:  
  
'Wear this always during the day. It will help.'  
  
And that was all.  
---  
Now, Draika slipped the cord easily over her head, hiding the glowing stone under her sweeping black cloak. She'd attached a hood to it earlier that year, in case anything happened to her face…  
  
Turning to look in the mirror, she tucked a strand of long sandy hair behind her ear, steely gray eyes now flecked with yellow going over every little detail. Satisfied, she dragged her now-full trunk out the door and into the hall. She would eat breakfast, then get an early start to King's Cross.  
  
"I just hope I'm doing the right thing." 


	3. A Shopping Trip

~Draika~  
  
Chapter Two: A Shopping Trip  
  
Draika sighed. Seeing no one in the hall to help her, she dragged her heavy trunk down towards the restaurant, leaving it by the coat hangers. She wouldn't have to leave for a few hours, so she could take her time. Stomach growling, she trudged to the counter. Tom, the Leaky Cauldron's bartender and waiter, was sleeping. The girl rolled her eyes. She'd only been here a day or so, and she still didn't know what to think of the old man. Normally she could form opinions about people in a split second, but Tom was a confusing one. Ringing the service bell, she waited for Tom to wake up.  
  
Tom did not wake up.  
  
'Ring.'  
  
"…zzzzzz…."  
  
'Ring. Ringringring.'  
  
"….zzzzz….zzzz zzzz zzzz…"  
  
'RING.'  
  
"…ZZZZZ…"  
  
'RIIIIIIIIIIIING!!'  
  
Tom's head jerked up, and Draika had to stifle a laugh: The napkin he rested his coffee on had stuck to his face. She quickly composed herself. This was no time for laughing. Not that any time was really a time for laughing in her life….  
  
"Yes, miss?" No matter how many times Draika had reminded Tom to call her Draika, he kept calling her 'miss'. She sighed, and had a feeling it wouldn't be for the last time she would that day.  
  
"Some sausages, if you will, Tom. No eggs, please…and a glass of pumpkin juice."  
  
Tom nodded, napkin still stuck to his face. Seeming not to notice it, he went about making her breakfast silently. He too did not know what to think of this strange girl.   
  
Draika sat at a table, impatient to eat. Her stomach wouldn't tolerate anything but meat for solid food these days, and always at least five times a day.   
  
~Just another fun aspect of my life.~ She thought sarcastically. Maybe after she had eaten, she'd go to Diagon Alley and do some shopping--she still had a few galleons left over from last year.   
  
Tom set the plate of sausages on the table, followed by a mug of steaming pumpkin juice.  
  
"There you go, miss…" He smiled, going back to behind the counter, no doubt to sleep some more. Draika practically inhaled her meal, neatly placing the dishes on the counter next to the once-again sleeping Tom along with a silver Sickle as a tip. The man wasn't good at early-morning service, but he could sure make you laugh.   
  
She walked out into the Cauldron's dingy back alley, counting the bricks with her wand to open the archway into Diagon Alley. She pocketed her wand, which was made of ironwood. Exactly twelve inches in length, the carefully polished wand contained two teeth from a Peruvian Vipertooth dragon. Walking down the mostly empty cobbled streets, she enjoyed the solitude that one could only find just before dawn. She was tempted to go inside a shop that sold magical creatures, but her better judgment told her no. Unless it was a lizard or snake, she wasn't really interested.  
  
As the sun began to rise, more and more wizarding folk began to enter the large town. Many were students, Draika saw, looking to buy supplies. She didn't have to worry about that, not until she could get a source of income. Until then, her supplies were being provided by the school. Secondhand, no doubt, but they would work just fine.  
  
She entered Flourish and Blotts, the best bookstore she knew. Going to one of the back sections, she searched and searched, but she couldn't find what she was looking for. Approaching the salesman, she decided to ask for help…but just this once, because it was important.  
  
"Do you know where I might find books on the Vipertooth? Or, more specifically, a book on the…" she left off, spotting the book she wanted on a nearby shelf. "Nevermind…." she said, hating to make a fool out of herself. "I see it over here."   
  
Walking over to the table, she found all the books on it were about diseases only known to wizards.  
  
"Perfect." She picked up one volume. It was cheap enough for her to afford. Bringing it to the counter, she paid the man twenty Sickles for the book. She exited the shop, and was promptly knocked over.   
  
Scrambling to stand, Draika glared around nervously, trying to sight her attacker. She saw no one. Allowing herself to relax a bit, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Whirling around but still clutching her book, she found herself face-to-face with a boy about her age, probably fifteen or sixteen. Hard to tell. He stared at her meekly, almost afraid, holding a wriggling bundle of feathers. A closer look proved the thing to be a tiny owl. Draika did not move, studying the boy. He had short red hair and brown eyes, along with tons of freckles. He was tall, lanky, and struggling with the out-of-control owl.  
  
"Stop it, Pig!" He grated. The owl must have pecked at his fingers, because all of a sudden he let go with a yelp, and the little owl, now free, wheeled around Draika's head, screeching. Draika clenched her teeth. Stupid owl. She raised a hand to swat him away, but the boy shook his head.  
  
"Don't, please! I don't know what's wrong with him, he's normally good about staying put…"   
  
Draika nodded, face showing no emotion. She heard two voices yelling.  
  
"Ron? Hey, Ron!" A girl's voice, slightly snobby-sounding.  
  
"He was just chasing Pig…Ron???" Another voice, this time male, more confident than Ron's…if that was him they were shouting for. It appeared to be, since the boy suddenly got very nervous, his ears turning bright-red.  
  
"Sorry." He said quietly, slipping off into the crowds to rejoin his friends.   
  
Draika nodded, thinking this boy must be either very insane, very owl-motivated, or both. Sighing, she dragged her feet back to the Leaky Cauldron. It was nearly ten-she had spent more time in the bookstore than she thought! Walking through the restaurant with the trunk in tow, she once again spotted the redheaded boy and his friends. The other boy had jet-black hair, she could not see his face. The girl had bushy brown hair and brown eyes that looked curiously at Draika as she passed. Ron's ears turned red again, and he muttered something she didn't catch, something to his friends. The second boy turned to look at the girl Ron had told them about, but she was already out the door. Hauling her trunk into the backseat of a cab that Tom had called earlier, she gave them the simple order of going to King's Cross…and to hurry up, she didn't have all the time in the world!  
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So…nice, yes? No? I have one question: Should I make this have a little romance in it, or none? Do you want to know what's wrong with Draika? Should I keep it secret, tell you, or have you guessed already? Please R&R! 


	4. King's Cross

~Draika~  
  
Chapter Three: King's Cross  
  
Draika looked around King's Cross, heavy trunk in tow. She'd paid the taximan, who had made no move to help her with it. Jerk. But then again, she didn't really blame him. As she was looking around, she spotted several other wizarding children, or guessed to have: She could tell by their trunks and the occasional owl. Lugging her trunk along with her, she slowly made her way to the barrier between platforms nine and ten.   
  
"Nine and three-quarters…" She muttered, recalling the letter. "Yes, this is it."   
  
Before she fell through the barrier, she spotted that red haired boy again…he was talking to his friends. Did he see her? Hopefully not. Shaking her head, she quickly slipped through the barrier, into the platform. The first thing she saw was a huge scarlet steam engine, an old-fashioned train. What seemed like hundreds of students were already there, saying goodbye to their parents and meeting their friends again.   
  
"Rrrrgh." She dragged her trunk over, only because she didn't want to waste time looking for those stupid cart-things others put their luggage on. When she got to one of the entrances to the train, it was mercifully not crowded.   
  
Lifting her trunk up into the doorway, she kicked it out of the way so she'd have room. Bending down to get a hold on one of the handles, she realized the car was full of people, most of them talking, laughing, eating. The ones that weren't were staring at her. Great.   
  
Scowling, she stared back, taking off with her trunk as fast as the blasted thing would allow her. She walked past dozens of taken compartments. Just when she thougth she was going to have to settle for the public car, she saw an empty one. Sighing in relief, she luched inside, nearly collapsing on the window seat. That trunk was HEAVY.  
  
Standing, she stowed it in its little compartment under the seat, leaning back to rest. As the train began to move, she took out her book, reading a chapter before standing again. Glancing around suspiciously, she slowly took off her long cloak. That thing really got warm, especially when she did all that exercise. She still wore long robes under it, hiding her legs and feet. But her arms were now bare-her robes were short-armed. Looking down at them, she smiled-half sad, half laughing.  
  
"What a mess…" She said to herself. Her arms were beginning to be covered with dark bronze and tarnished copper   
scales, mostly by her forearms but slowly spreading. Her hands, while mostly normal despite the scales, sported a short golden claw at the end of each fingertip, each claw maybe about half an inch long, probably less. No one really paid attention to those-half of the wizarding teens she'd met in Romania wore fake ones anyway. She traced a claw along the scales on her upper arm, the ones that were just mere tattoos, not yet scales…  
  
A sudden noise outside her door made her make a mad grab for her cloak. How could she have been so careless? She stood, struggling to pull it over her head. Turning around, she saw…what's his name…Ron. She saw Ron and his two friends, searching for a compartment. Ron was outside her door, staring at it as if it might attack her. He couldn't see her through the frosted glass, but Draika's eyes were now specially adapted for seeing through reflective surfaces such as water and glass. The other two…Draika couldn't see the girl-"Probably searching still…"-but the other boy was standing beside his friend, making a 'go on' gesture. She could now see he had bright green eyes, glasses, and a weird lighting scar on his forehead…she blinked. Maybe she'd ask about that later.  
  
She waited a few minutes. Ron's hand had reached towards the door several times, but he had never succeeded in actually touching it. Finally she walked and opened the door, maybe a bit too suddenly. Both boys leapt back, startled.  
  
"Is there something I can help you with?" She asked, trying to be friendly. Ugh. She tugged her sleeves down self-consciously, glancing down the corridor both ways for anyone else.  
  
Ron's ears turned red. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. The other boy stepped forward, giving Ron a sympathetic pat on the back.  
  
"Yeah. We can't find any other compartments, and Ron was going to ask if we could share with you?" His green eyes were searching, but not suspicious.   
  
Draika nodded, stepping aside so they could come in. Ron hesitated, but his friend pushed him in.  
  
"I'd better go tell Hermione." He left the compartment, going to find the other girl. Draika turned back to Ron, sitting down.  
  
"That crowded, huh?" She asked.  
  
"Uh…yeah…" He replied, obviously uncomfortable.  
  
"Who's your friend?"  
  
"Harry Potter."  
  
"Oh." Draika turned to look out the window. She might have heard that name before, but at the time it really didn't strike a bell.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Do I need to repeat myself?"  
  
"No…er…no…" Ron stuttered.  
  
"It's Draika."  
  
"…Draika."   
  
The girl nodded. "Yes."  
  
Fortunately, Harry returned with Hermione then, or that conversation might have gone on and on and taken up the rest of my precious chapter!  
  
"So. What's YOUR name?" Hermione said promptly upon sitting down. A large ginger cat followed her, leaping onto her lap and purring contentedly.  
  
"I'm Draika. And you're Hermione."  
  
Hermione blinked, but said nothing of it. "I see you're transferring?" She asked eagerly. "Ron's father said you were in Romania?"  
  
"Ron's father?" Draika asked. If Ron's father knew she was in Romania, he probably knew more…  
  
"Mr. Weasley."  
  
"Oh, him…yes, he helped in the arrangements to bring me here…" Mr. Weasley. Yes. One of the very few, few, few people who knew her secret…  
  
"So what's it like in a Romanian school?"  
  
"Well…" Draika spent the better part of four hours talking about her four years at Lambaskian's. She found herself opening up, answering all their questions when two years ago she might have kept them entirely from her prescence. Somewhere in that space of time, the food cart arrived. Both boys sprang up, rushing to the door. Hermione followed more slowly while Draika stayed in her seat, watching the ginger cat she'd come to know as Crookshanks. He watched her warily, fur on his back slightly bristling, though it was hard to tell because he had so much of it. Draika snorted.  
  
"Animals…" She was sure they could sense her…unnaturalness. She had no time to think on that any further, because her friends returned, dumping a large pile of sweets on the last empty seat. Ron immediately started chowing down.  
  
"You look half-starved." Draika commented, laughing.  
  
"Yeah. Mum packed me corned beef-"  
  
"Corned beef?" Her attention was immediately piqued. "May I have them?"  
  
Ron gave her a puzzled look, but handed them over. In three large bites, both of the sandwiches were gone-but the bread remained.  
  
Harry stared at the bread, apparently put off.   
"So..any idea what house you'll be in?" He asked mildly.  
  
Draika shook her head. "No…" She looked out the window, watching the hills pass by. It was dark outside, and a rain was beginning to fall. She smiled. She liked the rain.  
  
Hermione looked up from petting Crookshanks.  
"We're all in the same house--Gryffindor." She said. The compartment was suddenly full of an uncomfortable feeling, like someone had said something wrong or hurtful. Ron shifted, ears turning red.  
  
~What if I'm in Slytherin?~ Draika thought. ~That wouldn't be too bad…but I've heard of the Gryffindor-Slytherin rivalry…they probably wouldn't want-~   
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by the compartment door slamming open. A smirking boy with flat blonde hair and malicious blue eyes stood there, flanked by two other boys that looked as if they had a boulder or two in their family trees. The boy stepped into the room. Then Draika realized she was the only one not standing. Ron, Harry, and Hermione had jumped up, hands on their wands. The blonde boy shook his head, laughing.  
  
"You're always looking for a fight, aren't you, Potter?" He spat out the name as if it carried a foul taste. "How fortunate. So am I." He raised his own wand, his two lackeys clenching their fists. Draika watched, unsure.   
Before an all-out student war could break out, he spotted her. Sneering, he walked over so he was right in front of her. "And who's this?" He scoffed. "A new friend of these mangy three? You think they'd know better than to mess with me. I'm Draco Malfoy, and those two're Crabbe and Goyle."  
  
Draika continued to glare at him, claws ripping chunks out of the train's upholstered seat. She didn't like this boy. Probably a Slytherin. But there was something about his indifference and overall meanness that she agreed with, somehow. As Draco held out his hand for her to shake, she stood. She felt awful, but it was her decision. Hers alone. She wished she could just freeze time and go ask Cirrus..he always knew what to do. But she wasn't in Romania any longer.  
  
"Draika V'tana." She did not shake his hand. Glancing over at her three acquaintances…for they were more of acquaintances than friends…she saw they were frozen, watching, along with Crabbe and Goyle. "And I'll probably be seeing you soon." She smiled, but her three acquaintances didn't see. As the train lurched to a halt she stormed out of the room, furious with herself for letting her emotions get the better of her like that. Why was she so afraid of losing those three as friends? It had been no problem before, certainly!   
  
She sighed, stepping off the train. The little drizzle had turned into an absolute downpour now. Hundreds of students were disembarking, most of them going towards horseless carriages. A hugs man stood by an icy-looking lake, waving for the first years. Draika walked over quickly, not wanting to have to face any of the people that had been in the compartment just yet. As she climbed into one of the rickety boats, she suddenly felt at ease. She wished she could go for a swim…she'd always liked swimming…but then everyone would probably make a fuss about it. No one wanted to share a boat with her, so she grabbed both oars and rowed across with the group, pleased with herself.   
  
Not even the first day and people were already freaked out by her. Nice. Very nice. She trailed her fingers in the water a bit, then stopped when she realized she was lagging a bit.   
  
When she looked up, there stood a great castle in front of them, all lit up like a pottery piece she had seen in Romania-you put a candle inside and the windows lit up. They climbed up the great stone steps…Draika's mind was uncharacteristically silent, almost reverent. She wasn't nervous…just….okay, a little nervous. Glancing up sharply, she spotted the large man looking at her curiously. Turning away, she walked though the great wooden doors that had opened, not knowing what to expect…  
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Well, there you are! It took awhile, but you now have chapter three! ^_^ What house should she be in? It's a toss up between Slytherin and Gryffindor…I'm leaning more towards Slytherin, but what do you think? Please R&R! 


	5. Hogwarts

Note from the author: Draika is not turning into a snake. Snakes do not have talons. Do any of you have Magical Creatures and Where to Find Them? *hint hint* Deep apologies for the long wait…I had a hard time with the hat's song. ^_^'   
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~Draika~  
  
Chapter Four: Hogwarts  
  
As she walked in through the castle's doors, Draika found it was unnervingly quiet. Looking around, she saw they were in a large entrance hall. The large man had disappeared somewhere, but Draika wasn't really curious about that. A strict-looking witch stood in front of them, waiting impatiently for the whispering to die down. When it finally did, she spoke.  
  
"Welcome to your first year at Hogwarts. My name is Professor McGonagall." Draika realized with a start that this was the witch who'd sent her that first letter back in Romania… "In a moment you will be Sorted. As soon as you know your House, go sit at that table immediately." Her mouth was barely a thin line. "Follow me."   
  
She led then down a short corridor, and into an enormous room. There were four long tables, the House tables. On one wall hung a tapestry of each House's mascot. It was deadly silent, and Draika could feel hundreds of eyes bore into her back. They stopped in front of all the tables. Professor McGonagall brought a little stool up; sitting on it was a very old and tattered hat. Draika blinked. What now?  
  
The hat seemed to be composing itself. After a few seconds, it opened something that was probably supposed to be a mouth and began to sing. As the hat opened its mouth, a splitting pain went down her back and arms. She edged slowly towards the back of the group, not wanting to draw attention to herself. Even though it was painful, she still heard the hat's song:  
  
Every year I sit around  
To enhance my mental skill.  
Many new wonders I've come upon  
While others puzzle me still.  
The thing I pride myself on  
Is something no other can do:  
I can look inside your head,   
To see your colors true.  
Maybe you're a Gryffindor,  
Brave and bold as light.  
Some of you are Slytherins,  
Who go lurking in the night.  
Yet more are helpful Hufflepuffs,  
Always willing to lend a hand.  
The rest of you are Ravenclaws,  
The wisest in the land.  
I can't see you where you are,  
Step closer when you can…  
I'd like to take a quick little view  
To put you in your clan!  
  
~Why can't this happen anywhere private?~ She asked herself mentally, focusing hard on keeping quiet. When the pain cleared, she opened her eyes. A nervous-looking boy was just walking forward to put on the hat. The hat took a second, then announced "RAVENCLAW!" very loudly.  
  
"Perekka, Demerik!" McGonagall called forth another boy.   
  
"SLYTHERIN!"  
  
Draika's train of thought paused. Through the Ps already? It hadn't seemed like the pain had lasted long…  
She managed to stand very still for the next several students, until finally…  
  
"V'tana, Draika!"  
  
She walked up to the stool nervously, sitting down. The hat was so large; it covered her eyes and nose. She kept still, not knowing what exactly the hat did.  
  
{Well.} A small voice said in her ear. {You're going to be tough. You can be mean. Yes, yes…downright cruel.}  
  
Draika scowled.  
  
~Just put me in a house. Please.~ She added as an afterthought.  
  
{Nice to see you have some manners after all…what's this? Very interesting, Draika V'tana.}  
  
~Not to me.~  
  
{Well…it's really a toss-up. But we can't sit here forever, can we? I've already taken more than double my normal time…}  
  
~Put me somewhere soon. This is important.~  
  
{Okay, okay…but don't blame me if it doesn't work out because you rushed me!} The hat opened its mouth….  
"SLYTHERIN!"   
  
Draika lifted the hat off her head, rather shaky. Amidst the regular applause, she walked to the Slytherin table and took the first empty seat she saw, avoiding the glances of the other Slytherins. She was neither disappointed nor excited; she had expected this. The last student (Zeridin, Kia) became a Ravenclaw. Professor McGonagall rolled up the scroll, lifted the stool, which had the hat still resting on it (rather peculiarly upright), and walked out.   
  
Almost a moment later, all sorts of food appeared on the golden plates in front of them. She ignored the baked apples with a stab of remorse, picking instead a nice sirloin cut and a glass of water. They were gone in bare minutes, followed by a small bit of glazed ham and a portion of liver.  
  
When the dessert came, she forced herself to look around at the Slytherins she had joined. There was a frightening-looking ghost a few places down from her; he returned her gaze with an icy stare. Not wanting to make him angry, Draika looked away. Studying the student across from her out of the corner of her eye, she noticed she did have a lot in common with this House. Whenever they looked around, they glared. They weren't that prone to smiling…and other things more subtle than could meet the eye. Studying each table in turn, she noticed many traits and similarities between the students that shared Houses. Looking at the Gryffindor table, she briefly caught Ron's gaze. Glaring at him, she looked towards the teacher's table. That giant man was sitting there.  
  
~That oaf, a teacher?~ She could hardly believe it. But Dumbledore was one of the best wizards of the age. He wouldn't make a decision like that for no reason… She looked at the teacher with the Slytherin mascot on his black robes with some interest. He must be the head of Slytherin House.  
  
Just as she thought that, Dumbledore stood and paused, waiting for people to stop talking.  
  
"Most of you were here last year, when Hogwarts had the honor of hosting the Triwizard Tournament."  
  
There was a bubble of chatter, but it quickly died down.  
  
"It seems this school can never have a year's peace. I take a strange sort of excitement this year in telling you this…"  
  
More excited whispers arose, fading as quickly as they had come. Draika wondered what this could be…nothing exciting had ever happened at Lambaskian's, nothing exciting in the view of a witch or wizard, anyhow. She leaned forward, eager to hear.  
  
"…It is my duty as Headmaster of Hogwarts school to inform you that we will be having visitors again. But not like any before. They arrived during the feast, and plead with you not to aggravate them or go seeking them out. It seems a clan of gryphons will be seeking residence in the grounds and dungeons this year, being driven out of their home by a very rare circumstance. They will be quite out of the way of all students, and severe punishments will go out to anyone who disturbs them. That is all--you may go to your common rooms now."  
  
As everyone stood to make the walk to his or her House, more noise then ever filled the air. Draika caught brief bits of conversation.  
  
"I'll bet they're here to study us."  
  
"Maybe Hagrid invited them?"  
  
"Filthy feathered beasts. They'll stink up our nice dungeons."   
  
Malfoy voiced that last one. Many Slytherins nodded agreement, making small comments similar to what he had just said.  
  
"So," Malfoy smirked, slowing to walk beside Draika. "Just like you said. What are you, a seer? Let's hope not--that fraud Trelawney is all this school can handle."  
  
Draika really didn't know what he was talking about, so she resigned herself to a nod and a glare at a passing first-year Hufflepuff.   
  
"Watch it!" She hissed as the first-year bumped into her, shoving him away. Turning back to Malfoy, she found her voice. "No. I'd hate it, always being asked to tell someone's future."  
  
"Yeah. Hey, password?" Malfoy asked Goyle.  
  
"Uh…" Goyle punched Crabbe in the arm. "Wassa password?"  
  
"Dunno."  
  
"You two couldn't remember the password if it was etched on the inside of your eyelids." Malfoy said.  
  
The crowd parted very suddenly…Draika turned to see what is was, and almost tripped over her long robes. A steely grey gryphon was walking down the corridor; one of his giant strides matching five of hers. Malfoy hauled her out of the way, almost disgusted. The gryphon's golden eyes fell on everyone there, but he proceeded without giving any sign of noticing them. The man she'd seen who was the head of Slytherin was close behind. He stopped, glaring at all of them.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for? Get in there. Password's 'Steelwing'." With that, a hidden door in the stone wall opened, and the Slytherins jostled and punched each other in efforts to get in quickly.  
  
When Draika managed to get inside, she found she liked it. The walls were all stone, and a roaring fire combated the freezing drafts. A large black leather couch took up most of the space directly in front of the fire, leaving the rest of the room for a few high-backed armchairs and a table. Without saying a word, Draika walked through a tunnel that sloped severely downwards into the girls' dormitories.  
  
The dormitories were also made of stone, lit by torches; one on either side of each black-colored canopy bed. Draika found her trunk beside the last bed, and crawled exhaustedly into bed after removing her glowing stone necklace. As she removed her long cloak, her hand moved over two new forms on her back with a painful jolt. They were small, but would grow larger. She fell asleep almost immediately despite her new discovery, spiraling into uneasy dreams.  
  
She had wings.  
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You're thinking, "She's turning into a gryphon!" No, that's not it. Hahahahahhaaaa….ack! I'll give a hint to Kia: What are Leita and Aisling? And there you are. I made the description of the Slytherin common room from what they showed in the second movie, because there's not much description of it in the books. 


	6. Lessons

This is going to be the only chapter that I describe every one of Draika's classes during the day…o.o….just so you know, and so you don't say 'What?! I have to read more chapters of…of THIS?!' I also think you'll find the Divination lesson very intriguing…I did a bit of research for it, but not much as I could have done. ^__^' So lazy, I am. This is a bit long, but I don't think I'll write any that are longer, so enjoy it! O.o This is loooong…..  
-----------------------------------------  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Five: Lessons  
  
Draika woke suddenly to the loud clashing of thunder and angry howls of the wind. Even though the Slytherins were in the dungeons, everything was as loud as if she'd been sitting beside a window. She sat up, ignoring the pain in her back.  
  
~Where am I?~ She thought, panicked. It was dark…it had never been this dark before…  
  
The soft flicker of torches calmed her mind, and she looked around. Beds, trunks…  
  
"Oh, yeah." She felt extremely silly. How could she have forgotten she was at Hogwarts? Checking her watch, Draika saw it was still early. She laid her head back down and tried to sleep, but the adrenaline that had recently run through her was not allowing that to be a possibility.  
  
Draika stood and stretched, careful not to wake any of the other girls. The first thing she did after was to grab her necklace from the table beside her bed. Its glow had seemed to be getting gradually dimmer over the years, but she had no idea where she could get another. She dressed quickly, tucking the dim stone under her robes as she walked out of the common room with her books and wand. Maybe a nice breakfast would help to ease her nerves. A nice, quiet breakfast…  
  
Quite suddenly, a black gryphon was in front of her, staring with orange eyes. Draika backed up, thinking she might be in the creature's way. This gryphon was not as large as the others, just an inch or two below Draika's head. Perhaps she was a nestling, or an adolescent. Draika bowed nervously, not sure how to greet such a being. The gryphon blinked and grinned as well as one can when one has a beak.  
  
"Good morning." She said. Draika stumbled forward a bit. Why was she talking to her? But her voice was higher pitched, sounding like a child's. "I am Linwe." She looked up at Draika curiously, tilting her head to one side. "Have you any food?"  
  
"Uh…" Draika cast her eyes about, searching for Linwe's parents. She didn't know whether or not they would be mad, but she didn't want to take any chances. "No…I was just going to get breakfast in the Great Hall…maybe your parents do?"   
  
Linwe said nothing at first, but she soon spoke again.  
"Oh. Who are you?" She stepped closer, and Draika stepped back again, still holding her bag. The girl knew Linwe was not going to harm her, but it was still very unnerving.  
  
"My name is Draika. I'm sorry Linwe, but I really am very hungry…" Draika smiled in what she hoped was a polite way and stepped past her, starting to walk up the sloping dungeon corridors.  
  
"Wait!" Linwe called. "Just one moment…please!" She sounded so sad that Draika couldn't help it. She turned around and was surprised to find the gryphon right behind her. "Will you be my friend?"  
  
Draika nearly fell on her face. What? Her friend?  
"Sure." She said calmly, although she was quite confused and suspicious. She smiled, hoping Linwe would let her pass.  
  
"Thank you!" The gryphon smiled happily, rustling her wings excitedly. "There's no one else my age in my father's clan, so I get bored a lot. Take this, will you?" She reached back with one grayish talon and plucked a long feather from one of her wings. "You can use it for a quill." Linwe smiled proudly. "I'm sorry I kept you so long…bye!" She leapt up, dashing back down another passageway while laughing like a happy little kid.   
  
Draika stood there for several seconds; her brain was still trying to process what had happened. Twirling the ebony feather between her fingers, she decided Linwe wasn't really that bad, after all. She pocketed the quill (it would have to be cut properly before it was a quill, but she had a knife in her bag) and began to walk once again to the Great Hall.   
  
She didn't know, however, that she and Linwe had been watched. Not intentionally, I assure you, but just by a chance of another being in hearing range of that unlikely conversation. He moved on afterwards as if nothing had happened, but that conversation would come up later in his mind, and carry immense weight along with it.  
  
Draika finally arrived in the Great Hall. Even though the conversation with Linwe had lasted little more than ten minutes, there were a few more students awake than she had hoped--a few from every other house, and one teacher, but no Slytherin students. She smiled and sat down, helping herself to bacon, sausages, and grape juice, then seconds after she inhaled her first serving. Now that her stomach was filled, her brain began to go to work. The first thing that immediately leapt to mind was her new…appendages.   
  
~Could I really fly?~ Was the thought that kept surfacing, no matter how many times she tried to squelch it out of existence. What an absurd question! Of course not! She'd have to be mad to try. Draika shook her head at her own foolishness, leaving the hall as large groups of students began to arrive.   
  
Before going to her first class she quickly returned to the Slytherin common room, cutting Linwe's feather so it would work as a quill. Furious at herself for taking such a risk, she dashed through the corridors and barely made it to Charms before Professor Flitwick came in. She sat down in a desk, taking out her book.  
  
~So begins another year.~ She thought as Flitwick began to call roll. It didn't take long, as the Slytherins were too tired to make trouble and the Gryffindors would never trouble a teacher… She mocked them in her mind. Didn't anyone else know how to have a bit of fun?   
  
She sighed inwardly, listening as the tiny professor began the lesson. Contrary to what she expected, Charms was quite an interesting class.   
  
"Today," Flitwick began in his squeaky voice. "You will be learning to change the size of things. I will be passing around to you these little things." He held up a bag of what looked like sand, and began distributing one grain to each student. "When I say, tap the grain with your wand and say 'Spurtia!'. And please be careful not to tap your desk instead!" He laughed merrily, knowing at least one student would. "Proceed."  
  
The room was filled with students reciting the incantation; some frustrated, some pleased. Looking around, Draika could see the bushy-haired Gryffindor prefect was the only one who had managed to do it correctly: she had a rock roughly the size of her fist resting on her desk. Draika took her wand and carefully placed the tip on the grain of sand.  
  
"Spurtia!"  
  
There was a muffled scream from the front of the room. Draika glanced up to see a desk rise to the ceiling. Flitwick dashed forward and waved his wand. The desk shrank back.  
  
"Try again, Neville, and please be careful this time…"  
  
Draika and the other Slytherins could hardly contain their laughter. After the fit of laughter had passed, Draika looked down to see her grain of sand had indeed grown to a rock. Pleased with herself, she gathered up her things as the bell rang, leaving the rock as instructed. While navigating through the crowded halls, she glanced for a moment at her schedule.  
  
"Transfiguration…" She looked around. Transfiguration was supposed to be on the same floor as Charms, so she probably wouldn't be late. Spotting a group of Slytherins that she recognized from her year, Draika followed them inconspicuously to Professor McGonagall's classroom. Upon entering, she found every desk had a small jar on it. Sitting down in the back, she studied her jar. It contained several leaves and some grass, along with one stick. Soon all the desks were full with Slytherins and Gryffindors. Draika wished for a Gryffindor-free day in the depths of her mind.  
  
"Good morning." McGonagall said, looking no different than when she had directed them to the Sorting Hat. "Today's lesson will not be very taxing, but some of you will find it puzzling. You see your animal in the jar--"  
  
"What animal?" Draco said loudly. "There's just a bunch of junk." Some Slytherins snickered, Draika not among them. What was so funny about that? She glared at the nearest Gryffindor, waiting for the teacher's reply.  
  
"If you will look closer, Mister Malfoy, you will see there is indeed a creature in there. Five points from Slytherin for your disrespect. Can anyone tell me what exactly we have?"  
  
Hermione's hand shot up. By this time, Draika had figured out that she was a real know-it-all.  
"It's a stick bug." She said, as if everyone should know that.  
  
"Thank you, Miss Granger. One point to Gryffindor. Your task for today is to turn your stick bug into a stick. I will check your work at the end of class." The professor drew some notes on the board to explain the procedure of transfiguring something that was already very similar to what you wanted it to be, which Draika copied down halfheartedly. She always hated notes, but Linwe's feather wrote extremely well and didn't seem to need re-inking as often as most quills.  
  
Draika unscrewed her jar's lid and gently lifted the stick bug out, setting it on her desk. She watched it crawl around lethargically for a minute before tapping it with her wand. It froze for what seemed like ages, and then resumed feeling her desk with its antennae. Draika sighed. How would she know when it was transfigured? She continued tapping it with her wand, and was relieved when it finally stopped moving. Draika picked it up and flicked it with her nails. Wood. She smiled, setting it down.   
  
McGonagall was apparently half satisfied with everyone's work, so no assignments were given. Draika once again hefted her bag up, heading to Divination with the Gryffindors. Again. Could there be anything worse? Most probably. She was able to follow the students to the very top of the North Tower; she was very glad that she wouldn't have to follow anyone to any class after today.   
  
As she finally stopped at the top of the tower to catch her breath along with all the others, Draika noticed several students were inclined to stare in her direction. She glared back at the Gryffindors, and met the Slytherins' gazes with an expressionless glance. Just when she thought she couldn't stand it anymore, the trapdoor in the ceiling opened to let a silver ladder float down. As she climbed up, she was horribly conscious of her feet. Her robes covered them when she was walking, but it was a whole different thing when she was climbing a ladder.   
  
Biting the inside of her cheek to keep her heart from racing, Draika emerged into the Divination classroom. It was set up like an absurd tea parlor, with red sheers over the lamps, complete with little poufs and armchairs around several round tables, on which was set a deck of cards and a taper candle. She sat down in an armchair, studying the deck of cards in front of her with an intensely empty mind. It was hard to breathe up here, not to mention that all the heat waves were making her dizzy.   
  
"Greetings to another year." A misty voice said. A tall, spindly woman covered in bangles and sequins rose from her high-backed armchair behind her desk. "I am glad to see all of you have returned…but who is this?" She stopped besides Draika's chair. Draika continued to stare at the deck of cards. "Of course I already know, but would you care to tell me for the class?" She smiled and said in a quieter voice, so only Draika heard. "I try not to make them nervous by flaunting the fact that I know things before they happen."  
  
Draika rolled her eyes at the deck of cards.  
"S' Draika." She said, still looking at the cards. Maybe if she didn't look at Trelawney, the professor would move on. Of course this had to be Trelawney, from what Draco had told her yesterday.  
  
"This term we will be studying the Tarot deck." Trelawney continued if she had not heard Draika. "Of course we're only scratching the surface, given the little space of time in which I have to teach you…" She paused for what she probably supposed was dramatic effect. "We all have an Inner Guide, but we are always ignoring it when we have to make a choice. By reaching for our Tarot decks we are signaling to our Inner Guide that we are open to its guidance and knowledge of the future." She swept down again on Draika's table. The Gryffindor sitting across from her on a pouf drew back.  
  
"Poor Neville." Draika heard someone from the table behind her whisper. "Being stuck with that awful Slytherin girl."  
  
"Did you see her feet?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I didn't really, either, but I looked up while she was climbing, and…"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Miss V'tana!" Trelawney's impatient voice snapped Draika back to the classroom. She must have gotten lost in listening to those two girls gossip. "As I have been trying to ask you, would you kindly cut your deck to the left?"  
Draika nodded, sitting up to do as she was instructed.   
  
"And again."   
  
When she was finished, she had three piles of cards. Trelawney smiled wisely, kneeling by the table to get a better look at the cards.   
  
"Now place your palms over the piles and focus on a question."  
  
Draika scowled, but did as she was told.  
  
~How am I doing?~  
  
She removed her hands, extremely skeptical. She looked at the Gryffindor sitting across from her--he was short and a bit plump, a nervous look in his eyes like he was terrified. Trelawney slowly turned over the top card of each of the piles.  
  
"The eight of cups….the three of swords….the five of pentacles." Trelawney looked troubled. "You can all find translations on page two hundred and fifty." She told the rest of the class, who promptly began to read their own fortunes. "My dear." She said in a sorrowful voice to Draika. "Is anything wrong? Your cards clearly tell you are not well."  
  
From another table, Harry sighed in relief. Maybe Professor Trelawney had found someone else to tell her incessantly ominous predictions to.  
  
Draika flipped to the page directed of them, finding each card on the chart.  
  
"The eight of cups means--"  
  
"You are weary." Trelawney cut in, taking pride in reciting the meanings. "The three of swords indicates you are feeling lost or coping with a painful truth. The five of pentacles….ill health, rejection…standing alone…" She left off, looking quite agitated. "If anything is bothering you…."  
  
"Nothing is." Draika said, suddenly aggravated. Aggravated because she saw truth in those cards. They had confirmed what she already knew. "Neville, it's your turn." She said to the boy, who was plainly terrified that she knew his name.   
  
Trelawney frowned and moved on, but Draika caught her hovering near the table a few times for the rest of the lesson. Lunch was next; she'd have time to think. She rushed out of the stuffy room as soon as the bell rang, She literally threw her bag against the wall beside her bed in the dormitory before running back up to lunch. She didn't want to give anyone the chance to talk to her. That would only cause delay. She sat down at the Slytherin table while ignoring the stares that were getting more and more commonplace from the other houses. The other Slytherins had learned quickly that she was not someone to anger.  
  
Grabbing a ham sandwich and opening her Divination book (Trelawney had assigned a one-scroll report on the deeper meaning of their readings, due Friday), Draika didn't notice Malfoy sitting across from her until he closed her book.  
  
"Oh! Hello Malfoy." She said, remembering she had heard he didn't like to be called Draco.  
  
"So what do you think?" He said, taking a long swig of pumpkin juice.  
  
"Think of what?"  
  
"I don't know." He said impatiently. "Everything. Anything."  
  
"I thought Trelawney was a fool, but at least her Tarot was something to distract us."  
  
"Yeah. Stupid cards. They're just a deck of picture cards."  
  
"Hm…my opinion has yet to decide itself."  
  
Malfoy shrugged. "Whatever. Hey, you have Defense Against the Dark Arts after Herbology today, right?"  
  
Draika nodded, removing a bit of bread from her ham. "Yes. And?"  
  
"Oh, nothing." He smiled, standing up. "You'll see."   
  
Then he left, which Draika was partly grateful for. She truly wanted to learn more about the Tarot cards, and he wasn't helping. After the last bits of ham had gone from her plate, she stood and walked outside to the greenhouses since it was Monday (she had Herbology Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. History of Magic occupied Tuesdays and Thursdays.). The wind was still blowing, rattling the windows in between flashes of lightning. The storm seemed to be gathering strength--the sky was dark grey, almost black. The raindrops that battered the glass ceiling of greenhouse four had to be at least the size of marbles. Glancing back to her classmates, Draika was relieved to see she had this class with the Ravenclaws.  
  
"Hello!" A witch with frizzed hair stood smiling at the head of the row of pots. "You'll be pleased to know that only one project will be occupying you this year! You will each grow your own flaming ferns." At this, the students quickly selected a pot. "Only you will care for it, but I will if you are ill and unable to come. Each plant will have a distinct personality, which you will report changes on every month. I expect you to keep a growth chart as well, starting when your fern first sprouts. They can be found on page thirty."   
  
Draika took a quick look. The flaming ferns grew to be at least four feet, and had bright red stems with vivid orange leaves. Other than that, they looked exactly like normal ferns.  
  
"Says here it'll burn anyone that's not its caretaker." She heard a Ravenclaw mutter to one of her friends.  
  
"That is indeed true." Professor Sprout said. "So I advise you not to try anything, or you'll be regretting it for days."   
  
The rest of the class was fairly uneventful. Sprout gave each of them one seed to plant. The seeds were black and warm to the touch, about the size of a thumb. Draika easily dug a small hole with her claws and placed the seed inside. There was nothing really more to do after that than spreading ashes on the soil, because the book said flaming ferns would die if you water them.   
  
~What an interesting plant.~ Draika found that this, so far, was her favorite class. She was sorry to leave when the bell rang, bending her head against the storm outside. By the time she arrived at Defense against the Dark Arts, most of the water had dripped off her scales. Draika shuddered. She hated water, even though she loved storms. The bell rang, and there was no teacher. A tentative whisper arose, until the teacher entered the room. Then it was deadly quiet. Draika could smell fear on some of the students.  
  
"Well, well. Gryffindors talking in class? That'll cost you five points."  
  
The speaker was Severus Snape. Draika smiled. So THIS was what Malfoy had been so smug about. Truth be told, so was she.  
  
"At first I was not considering this job." Professor Snape continued, walking around the room; eyeing each student like a hawk. "But I did some figuring, and in the end it turned out it would be more efficient to everybody's schedule to have me teach the class. Some students who are in need of a free period now have one. Longbottom!" He snapped as a toad hopped across his path. "Will you please keep an eye on your toad in the future?"   
  
Neville nodded, as pale as a ghost.  
  
"Today I will be teaching you advanced counter curses. We will not learn more advanced curses until second term, but it is more important that you know how to block rather than to attack. Potter, you come up here and demonstrate."  
  
Harry stood up shakily and walked to the front of the room.   
  
"Now, boy, when I throw a curse at you, sweep your wand in a small arc and concentrate on reflecting the spell."  
  
Harry nodded, suddenly as pale as Neville.  
  
"Stupefy!" A red beam of light shot at Harry. He waved his wand and just managed to deflect it. Snape grinned maliciously, flicking the tip of his wand downwards. The rebounding spell vanished in a wisp of smoke that curled slowly towards the ceiling.  
  
"And there you are." He said as Harry scurried back to his seat among many unfriendly grins from the Slytherins. "Pair up. Anyone stupefied will have to wait until the end of class to be awakened."   
  
There was a rush from the Gryffindors to be with someone in their own house, but Malfoy headed Ron off to Harry.  
  
"You and me, Potter." He smirked. "And I won't go easy on you."  
  
Draika turned to see the Gryffindor Prefect, Hermione, standing in front of her.  
  
"Would you?" She asked Draika politely.  
  
"Sure." The girl stood from her chair, raising her wand. Before she could think of a suitable curse, however, Hermione spoke again.  
  
"I saw you today in Charms."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You were oddly quiet about Neville's mistake."  
  
~What is this, an interrogation?~ Draika scowled. "So? I didn't see you laughing either."  
  
"Nevermind." Hermione readied her wand.  
  
"Joltrea!"   
  
A little spark of electricity escaped Draika's wand. It was a small curse and wouldn't really hurt Hermione if it hit, just shock her a little like a large ball of static energy. Hermione deflected and Draika deflected back. None of them knew the trick that Snape had used in eliminating the rebounding curse, so they kept at it. It did get tiring after awhile, plus Draika saw Hermione was obviously getting tired. So she didn't wave her wand the next time, and was definitely surprised when what she thought was a little static charged into her with tremendous force. There was a loud crack, and then she was thrown several feet to crash against the opposite wall. For one horrible moment, she thought she was paralyzed.   
  
"…" She sat up, every part of her body aching. She hadn't known the spell was that strong, or she never would have cast it. Hermione and a few others rushed over to help her up, but Draika refused to let them. As she was standing up while leaning on the wall, Snape strode over.  
  
"What happened here?" He said in a voice that made the whole room fall silent. Draika smoothed down her frazzled hair and opened her mouth to reply, but Hermione was faster.  
  
"It was my fault, Professor." She said, looking ashamedly at the ground. "I didn't know that curse was so powerful. I'm sorry." She said to Draika, who just stood there in astonishment.   
  
Snape nodded, his eyes dancing. "You must learn to learn the strengths of spells, Granger. Ten points from Gryffindor. Draika, go to the infirmary."   
  
Draika nodded, dazed. She gathered her books and wobbled out of the classroom, still thunderstruck by Hermione's lie. She had no reason to lie for someone she barely knew, especially when it would cost her house points. It took her some time to reach the infirmary, partly because her legs ached so much and because she didn't know where it was. But she had asked a passing Hufflepuff, who gladly pointed her in the right direction.   
  
As soon as Draika arrived she sat down on a chair, examining the damage done. She had a severely throbbing head and scorched arms, along with the aching all over thing. But that was pretty much it. Madam Pomfrey came out and introduced herself. When Draika told her what had happened, the nurse shook her head.  
  
"Teachers need to start putting more safety measures in their lessons. But with Severus teaching that class now, I'm not really surprised." She sat Draika down on a bed and drew a curtain around it. "Pull up your sleeves, please?" She didn't seem fazed by the scales, which got Draika thinking.  
  
~How many teachers know?~ That was another to add to her growing list of worries.  
  
"These burns are pretty bad for such a spell. You're bleeding here where your head hit…" And so on. Draika tried to sit completely still. When Madam Pomfrey was finished, Draika had bandages on her arms and a several stitches on her head. "Scales are often less resilient to things like that, so be careful for the next week or so. Come see me after dinner and I'll check your stitches." She drew back the curtain, letting Draika leave. She gathered up her books again, then spotted someone hurrying away. It looked like Hermione..  
  
"Hermione?" She called, but the girl didn't turn around.  
  
~How much did she hear?~  
  
Sighing, she lugged her bag out onto the grounds. The thunder and lightning had stopped, but the rain was coming on harder than ever. When she reached the paddock where her daily Care of Magical Creatures lesson would take place, she saw someone very familiar.  
  
"Linwe!" She smiled as she approached the gryphon. Everyone else was feet away under Hagrid's order, but she didn't notice.  
  
Linwe smiled, holding something out for her. It was a small box.  
  
"I met a man today in the forest. He said to give you this." She seemed very proud.  
  
"Thank you!" Draika bowed to her friend, not thinking how odd it was that a man had been just casually walking through the forest. As she took the package, she showed Linwe how she had cut her feather to make it work as a quill. "Your quill works very well. But what are you doing here?"  
  
"Me? I told Hagrid I'd help him with his lessons. You're supposed to be learning about gryphons."   
  
"Oh!" Draika sat down beside her friend, taking out her notes. She was oblivious to the stares and Hagrid's shock. "What shall I write?" She said to her younger friend. (As a fact, Linwe is fifty years old, but gryphons are immortal. They mature at about one hundred years. So in human years, Linwe is around nine or ten.)  
  
"Well first of all, we can be all colors, but the normal ones are black, silver, grey, white, and ash."  
  
"What is ash?" Draika scribbled down her notes. It was fun playing with Linwe….because that's what they were really doing. Linwe was pretending to be a teacher. Even though it was rainy, Draika wasn't minding getting wet.  
  
"Ash is grey, but with undertones of blue and green. My mother is an ash." Linwe smiled. "Our eyes are normally golden, but some of us have orange eyes."  
  
"Like you. They're very pretty."  
  
"Yeah! Like me!"  
  
For the rest of the hour they played as if they had all the time in the world. Most of the students were ignoring their conversation and listening to Hagrid tell them about gryphons, but Hermione was leaning on the fence, enraptured by every word.   
  
At the bell, Draika stood to go to her last class, Potions. If it had been a Thursday, Potions would have been her second-to-last class, because on Thursdays she had Astronomy at midnight with the Ravenclaws.  
  
"Where are you going?" Linwe asked.  
  
"I have to go to potions now." Draika said. "I'm sorry. I had lots of fun talking to you!" She smiled, hoping Linwe would understand.  
  
"Oh. Okay." Linwe flapped her wings once as a farewell, watching her friend go up the stone steps and into the castle sadly.  
  
Draika sighed, this time from happiness. She was soaked to the bone, but she didn't care. Her hair was matted with blood and rain, but she didn't care. She walked on air to the dungeons, sitting in the front row. Snape was undoubtedly her favorite teacher. Her good mood subsided again when she saw she had this class with the Gryffindors…again.  
  
"Once again, greetings." Snape smiled. "The potion we will be brewing today is more complex than anything you have ever concocted before. It is the potion of mock-death. Does anyone know what that is?"  
  
Draika smiled, sharing the thrill of something immensely dangerous yet harmless. She had been a great lover of some muggle literature, especially Romeo and Juliet. So while some puzzled, she knew exactly what Snape was talking about. Hermione and Draika were the only two to raise their hands.   
  
Snape looked mildly surprised. "Draika?"  
  
"The potion of mock-death will make anyone that drinks it fall into a deep, cold sleep. You will not breathe. You will have no pulse. Your skin will be like ice." She smiled, enjoying making up a dramatic description. "You will, in all exterior properties, be dead. You will wake in a few days, quite tired, but unharmed."  
  
"Very nice." Snape's oily voice cut through the stunned silence. "Twenty points to Slytherin for that excellent description."   
  
Draika sat back, feeling very proud. Snape went on to describe exactly how to make such a potion. She jotted every single note down, and set up her cauldron to heat ten ounces of cobra blood. Everything was quiet, save for the hissing of the bubbling cauldrons. Draika had indeed found her niche in the school. It all came so easily…writing, memorizing, brewing…she smiled contentedly as she added one drop of basilisk venom to dissapate most of the anti-toxins.  
  
"You should be done by now." Snape's voice once again disrupted the magical silence. "Put your things away, then pour your potion into a labeled flask and leave it on my desk when you leave."  
Draika poured the sinister-looking black potion into her flask, noting with amusement and a snicker that Neville's was somehow a bright, acid green. As the bell rang she put the flask carefully on Snape's desk and left the room in a delightful mood.   
  
In almost no time at all her books were back in her dormitory and she was sitting with a nice big steak on her plate for dinner. As she took the first bite, she remembered the box Linwe had given her. Trying not to attract attention, Draika drew it out of her robes and lifted the lid to see a dazzling glow. It was another necklace! She had to use all her self-control to keep from gasping. These were EXTREMELY rare, especially one so new and bright. She clasped a hand around it to stifle the glow, slipping it quickly over her neck and into her robes. She removed the old one with less care. With a start, she realized her old one had stopped glowing altogether, and crusted with a black, flaky substance.  
  
Under the necklace had been a note:  
  
'It is most important to your future and safety that we meet. Go to the edge of the forest at midnight. I will send a friend of mine to guide you to me. Do not bring anyone, and I beg you to stay out of the forest until your guide comes.'  
  
Draika suddenly wasn't hungry. She stood up and left the Great Hall, heading to the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey put new bandages on her arms, frowning.  
  
"They're not healing properly." She explained to Draika. "I'd like you to spend the night here, just for observation." She shook her head in confusion. "I've never seen anything like this…you say you were the one that cast the spell?"  
  
"Yes." Draika was impatient and reluctant to spend the night in the hospital. How would she get to the forest?  
  
"I just don't understand…it's odd, that's all." She said when she saw the worried look on Draika's face. "I'll get you a nightgown and set up some curtains." She left before Draika could protest.  
  
Sighing, the girl decided to just go with the flow…maybe it would turn out to an advantage. She sat down on the bed closest to the window. The raindrops were smaller but just as numerous; the wind had only let up a little. She flinched at an unexpected roar of thunder. Maybe it would be too stormy to go out…but then what would happen? She might never get another chance to talk to this person.  
  
Madam Pomfrey came back in with a plain white nightgown and conjured some curtains for around Draika's bed.  
"There you go…lights out is a bit early here, but you'll need it." She smiled and patted Draika's back gently, then went back to her office. Draika did not put the nightgown on, but she did crawl into the sheets immediately. If Madam Pomfrey thought she was asleep, the lights might go out earlier. Whether or not that happened, however, is unknown to her because she really did fall asleep.   
  
When she woke up it was eleven thirty, according to her watch. The wind sounded fierce and the rain was falling amidst crashes of thunder. She carefully got up and arranged the blankets to make it look like she was still there, sleeping. Satisfied, Draika tiptoed to the door. It was locked, but it was easy enough for her to unlock.  
  
"Alohomora!" She left it slightly ajar, for some reason unbeknownst to her. It just seemed like a good idea. She pressed against the walls as she made her way to the large wooden doors that opened onto the school grounds.   
  
As the doors opened, a sharp gust of wind nearly blew Draika off her feet. Keeping a firm grip on the doors, she managed to get outside and then shut them again. Bending her head against the strong winds and stinging raindrops, she began the long walk to the edge of the forest, and the first revelation. 


	7. Truth

Okay, I suppose I had to put one of these in somewhere…disclaimer! I do not own Harry Potter. If I did, the fifth, sixth, and seventh books would be out. I only claim copyright to Draika, Cirrus Lambaskian and Lambaskian's Academy, Linwe, Domar, Sraelyth (only his dragon side, his human side is © JK Rowing!), and any other originals that might come up in this story. Please ask my permission before using my ideas/characters in any artistic work. Whew! Oh…and a thank you to Tessa Gesek! Wild magic….  
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~Draika~  
  
Chapter Six: Truth  
  
The walk to the paddock seemed to take ages. The wind blew in unpredictable gusts, so Draika had to stop and brace herself every so often against the vicious storm. When she finally got near to the paddock, she saw a light was on in Hagrid's hut. Bending down to avoid being seen, Draika tried to be as quiet as possible while she walked past. Even though the storm was quite loud, she was near enough to the hut that Hagrid might hear her if she stepped too loudly or see her if her shadow should be cast against the far wall of the hut. When her hands finally closed around the weathered wood of the paddock fence, Draika nearly collapsed. She was frozen, soaked, and nervous. She shook her head, wondering what on earth could be worth coming out for in this weather.  
  
Draika nearly jumped a mile as a loud barking noise came from inside Hagrid's hut.  
  
"Quiet, Fang!" She could hear Hagrid walking around, doing something. She didn't really care what he was doing until the door flew open and he came out with a crossbow, Fang snarling at his side.   
  
She froze like a statue, hoping she blended in well enough with the shadows to avoid being seen. With a splendidly swift movement for someone so large, Hagrid whirled around so his back was to Draika. She backed up a bit, but tripped over the edge of his garden in the process, landing with a muffled thump. Fang barked again, drawing Hagrid near to the garden. The giant man swiveled his crossbow in a circle, until it finally rested on Draika. At that moment she did believe she was going to die…but Hagrid just shrugged and walked back inside with Fang, standing against the strong winds seemingly without effort.  
  
Draika let out a sigh of relief, but perhaps one moment too soon. Before she could react, a liquid shadow had leapt out of the trees and into her path. It growled quietly. Draika realized it was a nundu….she'd heard of these giant leopards. Their breath was so noxious they could cause widespread disease if they felt like it. Standing shakily, she looked it in the eye. Some sort of connection seemed to run through them for a brief moment.  
  
"You are the guide." Draika said. It was more of a statement than a question. The nundu nodded, lowering himself to the ground. Draika hesitated for only a moment before climbing onto his broad back. As soon as she was settled, he took off at an unbelievable speed. Draika smiled in exhilaration, holding tight to his back. If only everyone could see her now! Draika, that weird freak, riding a nundu! Becoming more accustomed to the nundu's movements as they flew through the forest, Draika sat proud and tall.  
  
The storm seemed to gradually subside as they neared the very center of the forest, where a clearing dappled by moonbeams could be seen. Her guide stopped on a dime, letting her jump to the ground before taking off into the shadows.  
  
"Wait!" Draika called out. "Don't leave!" Even though nundus could not form words, they understood many languages and were extremely intelligent. He turned and looked at her for a moment. Draika knew he would be back.   
  
She was still soaked. Wrapping her sodden cloak around her, Draika glared around at the surrounding forest, daring any creature to come close. She jumped at a rustle in the trees, shaking loose her feet--no, they should have been more correctly referred to as talons. Bronze talons. --in case she had to attack. They were extremely sharp and could gut a human in the blink of an eye.  
  
"At ease, V'tana." A booming, regal voice reached her ears. A large figure stepped out of the trees and into the clearing…Draika could only gape. Fifteen feet tall. Bronze scales. Golden eyes. Tail. Black ridges along his back….wings!  
  
"….whoa." She was really more amazed than that, but she was too stunned to string two words together. A Peruvian Vipertooth dragon! "I….I didn't know dragons could speak, sir."  
  
"Ah…I am not a dragon." He seemed to be amused by her lack of fear. "I am an Animagus….I chose to appear to you in a form I knew you would be comfortable with. My name is Sraelyth. Again, that is not my true name. I have many enemies here. Even now I am being hunted by the Ministry."  
  
"You….you said you needed to speak to me…" Draika stammered. Why was she being so….stupid? Just because she was getting a chance to meet the creature she would one day be…  
  
"Tell me his name. The nundu. Look at him and tell me." Sraelyth gestured to the nundu.  
  
Draika paused. What was he playing at? But she obeyed, gazing into the eyes of the deadliest, most dangerous creature known to the wizarding world. And then she knew.  
  
"It's Domar. You found him as a cub in Africa and brought him to the forest." She was amazed, not able to fully comprehend what she had just said, let alone how she had known.  
  
"Wild magic never fails, child. And it will not fail you." He smiled, showing glittering white fangs. Draika ran her tongue along her own teeth, noting they were going pointy as well. "Give me your necklace."  
  
"Why?" Draika was suspicious.   
  
"You no longer need it. It cannot help you any further." Sraelyth sighed.  
  
Slowly she obeyed. With a start, she realized the stone had already gone black, when just hours ago it had been a burning star. Shaking, she let it drop at her feet.  
  
"What does this mean?" Her voice was a whisper. "Am I going to die?"  
  
"No." The dragon replied. "You are going to change. In approximately half a year's time, perhaps less, you will be too far changed to be human. You must try to keep your head. You have so much that others could learn from. You'd be the first living being to completely transform!"  
  
"Yes…but…" Draika's legs could no longer support her weight. Just as she would have hit the ground, Domar leapt forwards to break her fall. The girl leaned on him, looking back up at Sraelyth. "If I'm gone…will I be…"  
  
"You will still have your personality. As for my other concern….if you feel out of sorts, do not be afraid to seek Domar. It is merely the instincts taking hold…you are not going to go mad unless you believe you are."  
  
"Is there…anything else?" Draika swallowed back a lump in her throat.  
  
"Yes." Sraelyth nodded, lying down on the ground so as to be at her eye level. "You must listen, very carefully. The gryphons are not just here because I drove them from their home."  
  
"What?" Draika was shocked. "You..-"  
  
"Yes. Because I knew you would be here. You needed to gain their trust. And of course that would be easy, for one such as yourself. You should have realized by now you have extremely advanced wild magic."  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Call me Sraelyth." As Sraelyth spoke, the nundu slunk to Draika's side, seemingly from out of nowhere.  
  
"S…Sraelyth?"   
  
"They are here to guard something very valuable to me." He smiled sneakily.  
  
"May I ask…?" Draika began to feel more comfortable with standing in the middle of an off-limits area, consorting with two wild beasts. Well, one wild beast and one hunted wizard.  
  
"It is you, child. You." He smiled.  
  
"You're not my father, are you?" Draika said sarcastically. This was getting awfully cliché.  
  
"Of course not! But you….you are the very last one…."  
  
"What?" Draika could swear time was slowing down. Domar snarled, glaring into the darkness.  
  
"Run!" Sraelyth leapt up. An arrow shot through the air to pierce one of his wings. Draika fell to the ground, knocked out of harm's way by Domar. There were horrible shrieks…the clearing around her was fading…fading…gone. 


	8. Trapped

Hm…no, it wasn't Hagrid! I can't seem to think of any more good titles for chapters. ~_~  
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~Draika~  
  
Chapter Seven: Trapped  
  
~~"Sraelyth?" Draika lifted her head from the ground. "Domar?" She looked around, confused. The ground was dry, but it was still dark. She could hear something moving in the shadows. Stepping back into the trees, she looked about for the source of the noise. Almost all at once she found herself facing a huge emerald green serpent with blazing eyes. Draika screamed, stumbling back. As the serpent advanced, Draika realized it was coming out of a humongous skull that should have been the faraway castle.  
  
~The Dark Mark…~ She tried to run, but her talons were glued to the spot as the snake wound about her tightly, suffocating her….no air!~~  
  
"Voldemort!" Draika screamed out loud, bolting upright. She flailed her arms, trying to find relief from the pressure slowly suffocating her. "Where…the Mark…" She suddenly realized through her blurred vision that she was somehow back in the infirmary, and dressed in her nightclothes. The sun was shining brightly in through a large window. As she calmed, a pair of strong hands grabbed her shoulders and forced her to lie down, but gently.   
  
Draika blinked, looking around. She felt infinitely worn out and tired, like she'd slept for days. Lifting her head, she looked around. All the other beds were empty, and she could hear Madam Pomfrey bustling around in her office. She turned to see who was sitting beside her as her eyes cleared, and nearly had a heart attack.  
  
"Linwe?" The black gryphon was lying comfortably beside the bed, watching Draika with unblinking eyes. She wasn't alone. Beside her stood another of the unlikeliest people ever to visit a student in the infirmary. Professor Severus Snape.  
  
"What? Snape?" Draika sat up again despite her back's protest, hoping she wouldn't be pushed back down. "You…what are you two doing here?" She suddenly felt very wide awake. "What time is it? Is Sraelyth all right? How long have I been asleep? When-"  
  
Snape held up a hand to silence her. Linwe looked at the floor, oddly silent. She looked almost ashamed.  
"That is quite enough. I was shocked at your behavior. Simply appalled. No student should go into the forest at night, let alone you!" He wasn't quite shouting, but his voice had an edge to it that Draika had never heard before. "I have talked to your friend, and she has told me what happened."  
  
Linwe nodded. "I didn't know what would happen…he was so polite…when he asked me if I could give that present to you I thought…" She broke off, looking into Draika's eyes, searching for forgiveness.   
  
~If gryphons could cry, she'd be bawling right about now.~ Draika nodded, looking forgivingly at her friend.  
  
"And it is because of this that you will not be punished. It is fairly easy to lure students out of the castle."  
  
"Could you tell me what happened?" She knew there was something Snape had been sent to tell her specifically. She could almost sense it.  
  
"It was very lucky that the centaurs found you before anything happened….lucky for you. They were all killed. Bane managed to get you back to Hagrid's before that monster tore him in two."  
  
"But Domar would never….Sraelyth isn't a monster…."  
  
"No matter what you think, consorting with a nundu and someone who can keep the creatures of the forest and ones much more dangerous under his command will never be a good idea." Snape frowned. "As for your other questions…it is eleven twenty-six in the morning. You have been here for three days, during which the school has been turned into the biggest rumor mill I have even seen. This 'Sraelyth' got away after he massacred the centaurs. They have been searching even since for that nundu of his. And I am here for two very specific purposes."  
  
~I knew it.~ Draika tried to keep the smugness off her face. This was no time to get a swelled head. "What is it?"  
  
"Your Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures classes have been infinitely cancelled. You are not to leave the castle under any circumstances."  
  
"What? Just because-"  
  
"Silence." Snape's face had become expressionless. "You may spend the free time you have in those spaces however you wish. I have talked for hours with the Headmaster. We agreed this is what had to be done. Secondly, Linwe's father will be escorting you to all your classes."  
  
Draika knew better than to argue.  
  
"Why all the precautions? You know I'm smarter than to go running off." This wasn't exactly an argument…but it could've been in the right context.  
  
"Linwe, if you will."   
  
Linwe stood up, handing a scrap of parchment to her friend. Her orange eyes were wide in fear. Draika looked away. She couldn't bear to look into the gryphon's eyes. Carefully unfolding the parchment, she read the note. It was written in ornate yet readable letters:  
  
'I will be back for her'.  
  
"This has got to be some sort of prank." Draika looked up at Linwe, then at Snape, almost pleadingly. "Please tell me it's all some elaborate joke."  
  
Neither of the two spoke. Linwe turned and walked out. Draika knew it wasn't an insult. Such things were harder for younger beings to cope with.  
  
"No. It is not." Snape set a stack of books on her bedside table, not meeting Draika's eyes. "Here is your homework." He quickly exited without saying another word. She sighed. Better get started now.  
  
Picking up the sheet on top that listed all her assignments, she nearly fainted. All that work from just three days!  
  
The first thing she did was tackle that tarot assignment from Trelawney--she'd left it half done. By the time Draika had finished with all her homework, it was near supper. She was starving, but ultimately too tired to walk. She'd tried earlier, nearly knocking over the bedside table.   
  
As if reading her thoughts, Madam Pomfrey came in with a tray of food. She too looked scared out of her mind. Draika shuddered, picking at her sausage. How much longer could this go on? She was a rat in a cage. A very intelligent rat in a very secure cage.  
  
~Oh well…maybe things will be better tomorrow.~ Draika laughed at that silly thought.  
  
"No…" She whispered, setting aside her tray to lie down again. "It never gets better." 


	9. Alone

~Draika~  
  
Chapter Eight: Alone  
  
It was about six-thirty when Draika woke the next morning. Words from yesterday echoed in her mind, but she shook them off. They were absolutely preposterous…but there had seemed to be something that held truth about that weird conversation. Sitting up, she saw someone had laid out her uniform--probably Madam Pomfrey. She got dressed quickly, mostly rid of the previous day's shakiness. She left after slinging her heavy bag over her shoulder, wondering what she was going to do with her two free periods.  
  
It seemed like an eternity before she was in the Great Hall, but time has a funny way of playing tricks on your brain when larger issues are about. A few strips of bacon were all Draika could manage; she wasn't really all that hungry to begin with. A few more students came in, most of them, like normal, were students she didn't know.  
  
"So. Back, are we?" A familiar voice drawled. Draika looked up.  
  
"Good morning, Malfoy." She said, not looking up from her long since emptied plate.  
  
"You sound so dreary." He laughed. "What's your secret?"  
  
"Sleeping for three days straight, then doing all three days' worth of homework in merely hours." She said dryly. Malfoy didn't laugh. She hadn't meant for him to.  
  
"I see." He had brought a huge bowl of something or other and was eating it ravenously, somehow still managing to talk as if he wasn't shoving food down his throat.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Other than that brief and extremely uninteresting conversation, Draika talked to no one for the rest of the day. She was too busy trying to catch up in what she had missed. Not that she was able to concentrate, anyways. Why had those lousy centaurs come running in? Serves them right that they got killed. No one could mess with a dragon, even one that was no true dragon, and not suffer. She clenched her fists, oblivious to the fact that her claws were cutting into her palms; drawing little drops of blood.  
  
In Charms, she was absolutely horrible. Instead of shrinking her beetle to something the size of a flea, it sprouted little blue hairs all over its abdomen. Divination was extremely annoying, with Trelawney constantly hovering over her shoulder to read her cards.   
  
~Stupid Tarot.~ Draika thought as she tried to remember the meaning of the nine of wands. ~Oh well…~  
The bell rang, letting her finally escape that musty old tower. Lunch! Of course, not alone…Linwe's father, Steppenwolf, was escorting her everywhere. He never said anything, which just made it worse. Steppenwolf was the gryphon she'd seen with Snape on the first day, and he was just as austere as she remembered him. His golden eyes went straight through her, so Draika often avoided his gaze. She thought it might be impolite to read into someone of such importance.  
  
Draika's appetite had noticeably decreased, even to her. She picked at her lunch, and then went to the library, still wishing her Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures lessons hadn't been cancelled. Setting her bag down on a table in the back, she picked up a few books on animals: Gryphon's Eyrie, a factual book all about gryphons; Dragons of the World, which was exactly what its title said, and an old, titleless book bound in cracked leather that she thought might be interesting. Opening Gryphon's Eyrie, she began to read.  
  
'Gryphons are one of the most intelligent beasts in this world, possessing every memory in their life. They never forget. Their feathers are lightweight but VERY durable, able to repel extreme temperatures and mild curses. Many possess magic; the most common abilities one might see in a gryphon would be weak healing or invisibility, although a rare few venture forth to learn more advanced magic. With wisdom they gain through the ages, they have developed the ability to see though masks to a person's true self. Never lie to a gryphon, for they are quick to anger and may seriously harm you. Each generation of these magnificent creatures grows smarter, as the parents pass down all their knowledge to the newly hatched chick. Only trained professionals should ever approach a gryphon.' At this, Draika snorted, causing Steppenwolf to jerk his head in surprise at the sudden noise. She closed the book solemnly, not interested in reading the entire volume.  
  
Instead of picking up any of the other books she had chosen, Draika simply stared out the library's gigantic windows, looking longingly down at the glass-walled greenhouses and the little paddock where she would've met with Linwe. She watched the other students move from the greenhouses to the paddock, unable to tear her eyes away. Linwe was not there. She looked back questioningly at Steppenwolf, who said nothing but told her plenty. Wild magic, of course…  
  
The rest of the day passed in a sort of haze. Draika would later remember her assignments from the depths of her mind, but at the moment everything was foggy. Even though her shadow (as Draika had come to call Steppenwolf in her mind) ignored everyone for the most part, she was still given a wide berth by the other students. She didn't really care. Alone was good. Alone was darkness and evil. She shuddered, walking out of her last class and down towards the dungeons. Steppenwolf went off down the gryphon's tunnel without a word…Draika marveled at how one so large and incongruous with most of the castle could move so quietly. Then she had a thought. Several thoughts. She had an instinct for mischief, and something told her this would be profitable in the future. Snape should be in the teacher's lounge after a long day of teaching, leaving his office unoccupied…   
  
Making sure no one could see, she crept back up to the corridors. Draika would have to be a fool to take the open halls…she had found out about a few passageways through the mill, and was ready to try one. On the second floor there was a large plant of some kind. Its pot was nearly five feet across. Reaching out to it, Draika tugged on one of its orange leaves.  
  
"Hey. Can you move?" She asked it, careful to be polite. The plant nodded, scooting over to reveal a hole about four feet in diameter. The passage sloped down sharply, like a nightmarish slide. Draika hesitated, but knew she couldn't waste any more time.   
  
"Thank you! I'll bring you some nice plant food next time I see you." Draika smiled, letting go. It was all she could do to keep from screaming giddily. It really was a slide, twisting and turning, heading to the bowels of the castle.  
  
Then all of a sudden it was over. With a crash, Draika was deposited on hard stone after a drop of nearly ten feet from a jagged hole in the ceiling.   
  
"He should really get that fixed." She mumbled. "Wouldn't want any students breaking in, now would he?" She giggled, searching….there! A pile of beakers, each filled with an ominous-looking black potion…except one, which was green. Draika laughed again, carefully searching through the pile. Finding the one marked 'Draika V'tana' she pocketed it, but only after making sure Snape had graded them all. She was pleased to see Longbottom had a zero, and she had a ten. Feeling oh so smug, she walked out of the office. Never once did she stop to consider there should've been powerful spells protecting the office…and that they could only be broken by a very powerful wizard. Had the circumstances been different, she might have remembered that, and gone once more out of the castle in search of Sraelyth and Domar.   
  
But she had other things on her mind. Her brain was chipping away at itself like a sharp knife whittles away at a stick. Chipping away to make room. So much more room was needed for what fate had in store for the girl. When she finally fell asleep in the early hours of the morning, she could feel it. She knew.   
  
And there was nothing she could do.  
  
Nothing she could do.  
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I might revise this chapter later--but for now I think it's pretty good. I'm sorry it took so long--I've been REALLY busy. 


	10. Accusations

~Draika~  
  
Chapter Nine: Accusations  
  
The next month fairly flew by for Hogwarts, with busy lessons, homework, and the like. It seemed the teachers were really bearing down on their students…but then again, maybe the students were just lazy. Quidditch started, with a new Keeper just in the nick of time for Gryffindor, a twitchy third year named Proell. Slytherin had won both of their games against Gryffindor, and the one against Hufflepuff. For the first time in years, the Gryffindor team was in last place for the Quidditch cup, and Slytherin at the top. Draika grew disconnected with the majority of all beings in the school, skirting around large groups in the Great Hall and the corridors, avoiding questioning glances from the teachers; ignoring all else. So you probably won't be too confused when I tell you that she was the conversational subject that day in the teacher's lounge.  
  
"It's not right. There's got to be something wrong." Minerva McGonagall held a steaming mug of coffee in her hands, completely ignoring it.  
  
"Or maybe she's just dedicated to her studies. Did you ever think of that?" Professor Flitwick squeaked. "That's how I was--people thought I was comatose for years."  
  
"That may all be very well, but I think there is nothing we can do." The icy voice of Severus Snape cut through the pause in conversation like a knife. "No doubt something is bothering her, but there is nothing we can do…nothing we should do."  
  
"She'll try something." Minerva set down her mug. "She's one of the smart ones…not as smart as Granger, but smart."  
  
"Just because she's smart, Minerva, does not mean she is incapable of being foolish. Do you look at her? She mutters nothing to no one. Her eyes dart about as if searching for entities we cannot see. When she tries something, we had better be there to prevent it. " Dramatic Severus's statement may have been, but it was nothing but the truth.  
  
Flitwick clicked his tongue. "This is all very well, but I have a class to teach!" He quickly exited, not eager to be in the same room with Snape under these conditions.  
  
Minerva was agreeable for once on this subject. "But how? When? Without knowing it, she's undone everything we've recently woven into the school's already superb securities!"  
  
"It will most likely be at night. Probably away from the dungeons. But inside the school…" He paused. "Or I could be entirely wrong. That is also a possibility." Beneath his calm expression, his brain was racing madly. Something was up.  
  
"Yes….remind me again why she came here."  
  
"You have just as much idea as I, Minerva."  
  
"They never caught that nundu, did they?"  
  
"Not a hair was to be found."   
  
"Very well." Minerva stood, setting her still-full mug on a table. "I should probably start getting ready." And then she left, leaving Severus all alone, at least for awhile.  
  
Severus sat and thought, and thought, and thought. He thought until his temples throbbed and his nose got stuffy. There was something he was missing, he knew it. Draika was no fool, even when she rushed. She would plan this. She would take every precaution not to be caught. If only he knew what it was she wanted to do! Then the whole thing could simply be stopped--he did not know exactly how, but more information would be a great help. Finally he sighed, and walked out of the lounge. He was definitely not in the mood to teach a class…  
  
"Longbottom! How often do I have to nearly poison your toad to penetrate your thick skull?"   
  
In potions, things were not going exceptionally well. Neville had stirred his potion clockwise instead of counterclockwise, effectively turning it from a potion that would keep you awake for hours on end into a sort of decongestant/bug repellent. Certainly an odd mix, but it could be useful. Too bad for Neville it wasn't useful to quell Snape's temper.  
  
"You will turn a three-scroll essay on how simple mistakes like that can cost lives, Mr. Longbottom. Lives. Better make it four. I will expect it on my desk by no later than sundown tomorrow."  
  
Normally Draika would have laughed. Or at least snickered behind her hand, or turned around to whisper to another Slytherin.  
  
Nothing. She seemed to be scarcely aware of the classroom around her, mixing her potion with a mechanical feel about her, as if she were a mindless automaton. Only her eyes remained in motion, forever flicking in all directions all the time.  
  
It didn't help that it was Halloween, supposedly one of the most magical days of the year. As she cleaned up her table without a sound, Snape watched her. He would have to be careful, now. Because she would not be careful for herself. He almost stopped her as she began to leave, but thought better of it. He leaned back in his chair, rubbing his temples. This was definitely not his day.  
  
As Draika entered the Slytherin common room, all conversation faltered, then slowly but warily picked up again. They did not quite know what to make of Draika now. She was different, that was for sure. She paid them no attention, just walked into the dormitory and then walked right back out, to the Great Hall. Steppenwolf was waiting for her, and even permitted her to lean on him for support as they walked to the Halloween feast.  
  
It was the grandest state Draika had ever seen the hall in. Giant pumpkins were carved into magnificent jack-o'-lanterns, grinning hauntingly at the students as they took their seats. Bats fluttered around the ceiling, echolocating with shrill voices. Even the food seemed a bit better, although Draika took no notice of what she was eating.   
  
Dumbledore had dressed up, much to everyone's amusement. He looked like a duck, or a chicken. She couldn't help but laugh along with the multitudes. The best part was the ghosts. They would pop out from under the tables randomly, throwing little pieces of chocolate in all directions. Forgetting her craving for meats, Draika had a large helping of spaghetti and lots of chocolate. Which wasn't a very smart thing to do. Ten minutes later she was in the girls' bathroom, throwing up most of it.   
  
A ghost glided over to her, smiling.  
  
"Go 'way, Myrtle." Draika groaned. "Please."  
  
Myrtle laughed, clapping her hands. "But why? This is the only entertainment I have now…"  
  
"You're sick, do you know that?" Draika said trenchantly.  
  
"Well, so are you." The girl's ghost replied.  
  
"Go 'way." She repeated.  
  
"No, I don't think so!" Myrtle cackled. Draika swiped at her, but it obviously had no effect. She bent over again, vomiting more of her supper into the toilet. Myrtle giggled.  
  
"Uggh…" Draika stood, and walked wobbily out of the bathroom and down the long corridors to her common room.   
  
Everything was extremely wavy, like the world around her was warping. All the way back to the dormitories she was in a daze. It seemed to her that it took her only a moment to reach the dungeons, but in reality it had been much, much longer. She didn't wonder where Steppenwolf had gone. The dormitories were empty, something Draika was glad for. Falling into bed, she was out like a light.  
  
Draika had odd dreams. All she could really recall was a dragon….Sraelyth, maybe? At the end, the dead centaurs came back to life and dismembered Domar.  
  
"Domar…no…" She mumbled, turning over. "Domar…" she called. "Come back…." Then she woke, shaking and sweating, eyes wide. A soft purr met her ears. Draika stiffened, slowly sitting up. Her robes were drenched in cold sweat. She turned to the side, and met golden eyes…  
  
"Domar?" Draika gasped, running a hand over the nundu's soft pelt. He growled in a friendly manner, nuzzling her arm. "But…how?"  
  
-You called for me.- His eyes told her. -I came. You are not well.-  
  
Draika almost laughed at the odd turn of conversation. Looking across at the other beds, she saw they were empty.  
  
~The feast must still be going on…~ She thought, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.  
  
"How did you get in here?"  
  
-I, too, possess magic. Powerful magic.- He jumped up onto her bed, turning a few circles before lying down on his side. -The adults are suspicious.-  
  
"They would be….but Domar, I want to fly. Really fly. It'd be the only good thing about this cursed deformity."  
  
-Take no risks.-  
  
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Draika yawned, lying back down and using Domar as a pillow. He bared his fangs in what seemed like anger. Anyone watching would have thought the beast was getting ready to bite Draika's head off. But she knew it was an amused grin.  
  
-You should sleep.-  
  
"Yeah…" She yawned again, curling up for warmth. She didn't remember how long Domar was there, or how long it took her to fall asleep. But when she woke, she definitely wished she hadn't. Domar was nowhere in sight. McGonagall and Snape stood over her, looking half scared and half upset.  
  
"You are to go immediately to the Headmaster's office." Minerva informed her in a sharp voice. Draika noted how they drew back as she sat up. "Now." She exited, mumbling something about Snape taking care of his own house for a change.  
  
Snape frowned. "Come." He said curtly, gripping her shoulder tightly to steer her out of the common room and down numerous corridors, like he was afraid she would try to escape. Draika hoped it wasn't about Domar. If they knew he'd been in the school, she was definitely getting expelled. Maybe she would be expelled anyhow. Or maybe Dumbledore wanted to know why she'd left the feast early. Maybe it had to do with Steppenwolf. Or Linwe. Maybe-  
  
She was jerked roughly out of her thoughts when she banged into a suit of armor. Snape glanced down at her, but then continued to ignore her, his grip on her shoulder never lessening.  
  
They stopped in front of a stone gryphon. Draika heard the password, and made a note to remember it. The statue rotated upwards, revealing stone steps. She walked wearily up them, getting a very bad feeling. Dumbledore was waiting for them, sitting at his desk. A brilliant red and gold phoenix was sitting on a perch.  
  
~Fawkes.~ She thought. ~Hello.~  
  
Fawkes trilled, flying a circles around her before Dumbledore called him back.  
  
"Draika V'tana." His blue eyes were ablaze with…what…anger? Sadness? Some vivid emotion sparkled there. "Please sit." Draika did. "Last night…"  
  
"I left early. My supper didn't really agree with me." She said, swinging her legs nervously. She tried moving her shoulder to dislodge Snape's death grip. It didn't work. Her heart's pace quickened.  
  
"I see. Did you meet anyone coming back?"  
  
"No. I mean, I don't think so. I was so shaky, it was like a blur."  
  
Dumbledore and Snape exchanged glances.   
  
"Can someone please tell me what this is about?" Draika dared to ask.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Last night, a student was…"   
  
Her mind raced. A student was…what? Killed? Mauled?  
  
~Oh, gods! What if I…~ She tried desperately to think back, to remember each and every minute of her walk back. Nothing.  
  
"…was severly injured." The Headmaster finished. "There were deep lacerations to his chest and stomach, and several bite marks on his arms. He broke several bones. Do you know anything?"  
  
~What…he suspects me…?! I would never…could never…~ She left off, realizing her earlier account might have very well sealed her fate.   
  
"No. I'm sorry I can't help you." She said.   
  
~At least it's the truth…~ Her mind commented.  
  
"Very well. Thank you for your time." Dumbledore leaned back, gazing up at the ceiling.  
  
"…sir?" Draika asked. "Who was the student?"  
  
If he thought this question was odd, the Headmaster said nothing of it.  
"Harry Potter."  
--------------------------  
I know, I know…back to Harry, you say? I considered Ron, but what would the point of that be? Besides, without a Seeker, the Gryffindor House team will get slaughtered even worse. Heheheheheheee…..and another besides, this'll make everyone even more afraid of her. What do you think? 


	11. Hogsmeade

Once again…terribly sorry for the lack of quick updates. I try to make each chapter to the best of my abilities, and that takes awhile. I know at first I updated once or more every week, but that's because I had an idea of where those chapters were going already set in my head. ^__^ Now, onwards!  
-----------------------  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Ten: Hogsmeade  
  
"Please try to pay attention!" The shrill voice of Flitwick echoed sharply in Draika's ears as she looked around the Charms classroom. It was nearly a month later, and not a whole lot had changed after Halloween night. Well sure, the Slytherins practically worshipped her for supposedly attacking Potter and the rest of the school feared and hated her to extreme lengths, but nothing really big. Nope. She didn't encourage the rumors, but see…she didn't exactly discourage them, either. The more she was left alone, whether in reverence or fear, the more she could try to enjoy her time at Hogwarts.  
  
~At least there's the Quidditch match tonight…~ she thought as the students were dismissed. She'd grown to halfway like the sport, especially since the Slytherin team was clearly the best. That night she joined the multitudes in flocking to the pitch. Even though others surrounded her, there was somehow a wide berth given to her. Draika grinned, leaning back to enjoy the match. Madam Hooch flew into the air, and blew her whistle shrilly.  
  
"The Gryffindors have forfeited to Slytherin!" She said, somehow heard over all the voices.   
  
Magic, Draika supposed, as she walked quietly back to her dormitory. If this kept up much longer, Gryffindor would be out of the tournament altogether! But more important was the little matter of the upcoming Hogsmeade trip…she knew she had been forbidden to leave the castle, but Aerisan, Linwe's mother, had spoken to Draika earlier. So all Draika had to do was work Snape around…not an easy task.  
  
"…and Aerisan has promised to go with me, she doesn't seem to mind at all." Draika finished. It was the next morning, in Snape's office. Some students called it spooky, but she rather liked it. A décor of animals in jars of formaldehyde was really quite intriguing.  
  
Snape paused, black eyes glittering. Draika did not draw back; he had to give her credit for that.  
  
"Wait outside." He said, sitting down to think. He had to think. She wanted to get out, that was understandable. But what might happen….many things, and none of them good. They were keeping her in for her safety; did that mean taking away her freedom as well? Well…yes, but not entirely. He strode out into the dark dungeon corridors.   
  
"You will meet Aerisan at ten in the morning on the twenty-ninth of November. If she wishes to leave Hogsmeade, you must return to the castle with her. You will stay in town, and not venture off into the bluffs or countryside. Do I make myself clear?" He hoped so. If the girl tripped up again, he might very well have to pay with his job.   
  
Draika nodded. "Yes, Professor." She turned and walked the few hundred feet to the Slytherin common room, responding to the usual stares and whispers with a fierce glare that sent one first year girl scurrying off to her room.  
  
Grinning, Draika sat back in the recently vacated armchair by the fire. Not until its roaring flames were just embers did she retreat to her dormitory. After the attack on Harry Potter all the other girls had found excuses to sleep in a different dormitory, so Draika had the whole place to herself. It made things so much easier. The scales spreading on her back and her appendages were itching like heck, and the open air helped.  
~  
The next day was the twenty-ninth, so Draika actually went to bed "on time". In the morning she woke extra early, trying without much success to get the dead skin from under her rapidly growing scales even though she spent nearly two hours on it. She slipped on an ashen gray robe and hurried down to the main entrance, a small bag slung over her shoulder.  
  
Aerisan was waiting for her, golden eyes kind unlike her mate's. Draika smiled--she WAS pretty, the ash-colored gryphon. Silvers and grays all blended, with hints of foggy greens and blues glinting in the morning sun. For once in her life, she felt almost happy. The sun was shining brightly over the snowy grounds, turning the shallower parts into puddles of slush. It would be a warm day.  
  
"Draika!" Aerisan called, standing to shake her wings out of their folded position. "Are you ready?"  
  
Draika almost laughed. Now she could see how Linwe got to be so friendly. Bowing, she nodded. "Yes, Aerisan."  
  
"It's just Aeris. And don't be so formal. Let's go!" The gryphon laughed like a child, scampering out of the castle doors.  
  
"Where are you going?" Draika ran after her. "The carriages are…over there…" She slowed as Aeris allowed her to catch up.  
  
"Why would we take those things?" Aeris asked. "Get on. We haven't all day."  
  
Draika's eyes widened when she realized they were going to FLY. Actually fly! She grinned like an idiot, not being able to help herself any longer.  
  
"Tell me if I'm hurting you, okay?" She asked, situating herself just in front of the spot where the wing joints connected to Aeris' back.  
  
"Don't worry!" With barely a pause she leapt into the air. The ground nearly disappeared. Draika could almost imagine the looks she was getting from the other students…  
  
"Wow…" She gasped, looking down without fear. She could see for miles in every direction! It was everything she'd imagined and more…the soaring sensation in her stomach, the thrill that passed through her heart as the wind rushed over her. She didn't care how much longer it took to fly than with the carriages, but it was worth it, every moment.  
  
Aeris smiled, turning so the sun shone on them. It would be warmer that way, as body temperature was often lost at these high altitudes.  
  
"Want to try a dive?"  
  
"A what?" Draika yelled. With the wind rushing in her ears, she couldn't hear a thing. "Sure!" She said, hoping that whatever Aeris had asked, her answer had made sense.  
  
Aeris nodded, streamlining her wings with her sleek body, heading towards the ground at an unbelievably sharp angle.   
  
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Draika shouted out of pure excitement, eyes wide as the wind picked up speed. "Awesome!" She leaned back, watching the clouds pass at unbelievable speeds.  
  
Only when Aerisan landed with a bump did Draika notice they were there. She rolled off onto the grass, grinning.  
  
"That was the best thing ever." She said, looking up at the sky. She felt slightly dizzy, like she'd been spinning.  
  
"Gryphons get used to it, but every time we fly, there's still a little bit of that first thrill." Aeris smiled as well as someone with a beak could mimic a smile, walking with Draika towards the shops.  
  
It was wonderful. Draika mostly looked in through the windows, because she had no spending money of her own. She couldn't help wandering into Honeydukes, however. Aerisan seemed to enjoy it as much as she.  
  
"Yuck. I'll bet you won't eat this, even for a Galleon." A first-year Gryffindor held up a large chunk of Cockroach Cluster to his friend, who grimaced and stuck out his tongue.  
  
"Gimme that." Draika studied the Cluster for a moment before wolfing it down. Not bad--the bugs were a form of meat, so her stomach wouldn't reject it. "Pay up." She smiled as the Gryffindor hastily plunked a Galleon into her waiting palm, amazed. "Thanks, kid." She smiled, walking out as she tossed the coin from one hand to another.  
  
Aeris laughed. "I haven't had this much fun in years…" She sighed happily.  
  
"Well, thanks for going with me, or neither of us would be here." Draika eyed the shops. "Post Office, Zonko's, a magical creatures store, some old building…" But her gaze was most drawn to the foothills on the outskirts of the market. "Let's go!" She said, running towards them. So what if she had been forbidden to climb them? What could possibly happen? Grinning, she clasped her hands tight around the first boulder, pulling herself up. Before she could go any further, though…  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" Aeris had grabbed the collar of her cloak. "You're not allowed. No one is in the winter. It's too icy, especially since the sun will melt the snow on top." Her face was creased into a frown, her tail swishing.  
  
"Fine." Draika scowled. "Let's go to the Post Office, then." She sulked for a bit, but sulking really wasn't something Draika could do well for long. Especially in the Post Office.  
  
Owls of almost every color imaginable, every size imaginable, sat on what seemed like hundreds of perches all around the building. Owls hooting, shrieking, napping. One large tawny owl was perched importantly on the counter. He stared at Draika before hooting softly, fluttering his wings.  
  
"Good, good…" She smiled, reaching out a hand to gently stroke his feathered chest.  
  
-I was the first owl here.- He told her proudly. -My name is Artemis.-  
  
"What a handsome name." Draika smiled. "How far away can you deliver letters?"  
  
-Continental only. No transatlantic letters. Up to fifteen pounds.- He puffed out his chest importantly. -Do you have something you want me to carry?- He sounded so hopeful that Draika couldn't refuse.  
  
"Sure, just a second." She yanked a spare bit of parchment from the manager's vacated desk and a quill, scribbling a quick note. "Can you find a nundu for me? He lives in the forest. Don't worry about him attacking you, just say it's from Draika."  
  
-Yes. I know your name.-  
  
Draika raised her eyebrows, folding the parchment in fourths. "Here you go."  
  
-Pay first. Two sickles.- He gestured to a box. -Change is in there.-   
  
She walked over to the box, lifting the lid to put in her galleon, drawing out her change. She wouldn't dare take any than was rightfully hers--the owls were smarter than most people knew.  
  
Artemis clicked his beak, holding out his leg obediently for her to tie the letter on.  
  
"There. Is that too tight?" She asked.  
  
-No. Just fine. Can you bring me outside?-   
  
Draika offered her forearm, and Artemis stepped onto it, still looking around like he owned the place. She walked outside to where Aeris waited. The sun was wavering from the cloud cover, but there were still hours to go before it set. The big tawny owl took off.  
  
-Goodbye!- He screeched, flapping laboriously to catch one of the day's last thermals.  
  
Aeris smiled. "Ready to go somewhere else?"  
  
Draika nodded. "Yeah. How about that one?" She pointed to a dusty-looking store. The sign on the roof was long stripped of its paint by the elements. Its contents were hidden because of all the grime that coated the windows, but something told Draika it would be worth visiting.  
  
"Okay…" The gryphon looked unsure, but followed her anyway.  
  
As Draika pushed open the wooden door a cloud of dust billowed down on her. Aeris flapped her wings, sending it across the room.  
  
"Wow…thanks." Draika once again thought about how much easier it would be not to have to hide her differences….but for now it was probably the best thing to do. Looking around, there seemed to be no one else here. Several tables were arranged haphazardly in the back, covered in a thick layer of dust like everything else.  
  
"No problem." Aeris walked forwards, inspecting several items.  
  
The shop was the size of a large classroom, but somehow managed to seem cluttered. Ceiling-high bookshelves lined every bit of wall space. A cobwebbed chandelier hung from the middle of the ceiling, brass finishing tarnished. The floor underneath Draika's talons was hardwood. It looked just as dusty as everything else.  
  
"Some of these texts are very rare." Aeris made a sound of amazement, paging through a large volume. "I'm surprised this place wasn't ransacked by now…"  
  
"Yeah…" A large trunk wedged under one of the tables caught Draika's eye. She bent down to open it, but it was locked.  
  
"Here. Let me try…" Aeris padded over and raised a talon. For a moment Draika thought she was going to strike it off and flinched, but then the gryphon stuck one of her claws in the keyhole, rummaging around inside for a moment before it came open with a click.  
  
"Will you never cease to amaze me?" Draika whistled, then coughed several times as a new wave of dust rose. There was nothing in the chest but a bunch of old books, and someone's wand. "Huh." She picked up the foot-long piece of wood, twirling it between her claws. Aeris was busy looking at the books, piling several on the table. Draika picked up one of the books curiously, and for lack of anything better to do. Most of the pages were blank, but on several near the back there was some ornate handwriting in a rust-colored ink.  
  
'One fortnight from now, midnight. Astronomy tower.'  
  
Draika blinked. That phrase had jumped out at her almost, standing out from all the other nearly unreadable letters.  
  
'No, you're not crazy.'  
  
What?  
  
'Do not be late.'  
  
She shook her head, flipping to other pages. Pages that had previously been blank were now filled with the same writing. But although it was written in the same style of the words that had jumped out at her, none of them were readable. She suddenly realized Aeris was watching her. Not suspiciously, but enough in that direction to make her uneasy. Draika pocketed the book and the wand, carrying Aerisan's books as well.  
  
"What an odd place." Aeris remarked as they left. "I wonder how long it's been empty?"  
  
Draika shrugged and looked back.  
  
The shop wasn't there.  
  
"Hey!" She almost yelled. "Aeris."  
  
"What?"  
  
"We were just in a shop."  
  
"How observant of you."  
  
"Where is it now?"  
  
"Hm?" The ashen gryphon turned to look. "How odd. But then again, those things happen."  
  
"I've never seen anything like that!"  
  
"Oh, sure. Expiration on buildings? Wizards pay taxes, too. I guess that particular shop's time had run out. Good thing we weren't still in it."   
  
Draika had to stop for several moments to think about that. Then she shrugged, jogging after Aeris. They briefly stopped in the Three Broomsticks, just to sit and warm up. The chatter died down for a few moments, but then struck back up again in a moment. Aeris folded her wings and laid by the fire while Draika took off her gloves to warm her hands.   
  
"Finally. I've been wanting to talk to you for ages." Draco sat down across from her, smirking. "Really…who was it?" For once, he was unaccompanied by Crabbe or Goyle.  
  
"Who was it what?"  
  
"You know…who's got it in for Potter?"  
  
"I don't know and I don't care."  
  
"Come on…what happened? What did he do to get you so angry?"  
  
"I told you I didn't do it." Draika growled, digging her claws into her chair.  
  
"Like hell." He scoffed. "You know!"  
  
"I don't." She repeated, looking past him at the next table. Two Gryffindors…Hermione and Ron. She briefly caught their gaze, but Hermione glared and she looked away, back at Draco.  
  
"Come off it! Everyone knows." He grinned. "Why deny it? If it were me, I'd be wanting people to know."  
  
"I guess I'm not you."  
  
"No kidding. Say, how is that, being stuck with the feathered freak?" He gestured towards Aerisan.  
  
"Aeris? Oh, she's wonderful. Look at this." She tried to divert the conversation, drawing the wand she'd found out of her pocket. Draco took it, unimpressed.  
  
"So? Just a wand. Who's is it?"  
  
"Not mine. I found it in a locked trunk in some store."  
  
"So you stole it?" He smiled. "Maybe there's hope for you yet." Draco tossed her the old wand, standing to leave. "See you later."   
  
Draika watched him go. Did everyone seriously think it could've been her? It wasn't…at least she didn't think so. She stood and walked over to Hermione and Ron, but Hermione whispered something, yanking Ron off his chair and quickly out the door. She shook her head. She saw them in classes, there'd be plenty of opportunities to talk.   
  
Aeris stood and stretched, padding over to Draika.  
  
"Let's go see the Shrieking Shack." She said eagerly. "It's my favorite."  
  
"What's so great about this place?" Draika crossed her arms, observing the run-down shack that Aeris had been so insistent on seeing..   
  
"They say it's haunted." Aeris grinned. "Isn't it great?"  
  
"Uh..yeah. Sure." Draika looked around for something to do. "I'm gonna go see what's around back."  
  
"Okay." Aeris sat back on her haunches as Draika walked around to the back. She tried the door--locked. All the windows were boarded up with magic, too.  
  
She sighed and sat down on the old fence, swinging her legs.  
  
"Hey, you!"   
  
Draika looked up to see a group of students heading towards her. Maybe three or four. They all wore robes with the Gryffindor crest on them, except for the oldest--a Ravenclaw.  
  
~Great. Just what I need. Little students thinking they can avenge the great Harry Potter.~ She eyed them casually. They were not a threat.  
  
"You. Why don't you just go back where you came from?" The Ravenclaw, probably in his sixth year, pushed Draika's shoulder. She clenched her teeth. Ooh, they were gonna get it.  
  
The others looked littler, maybe first or second years. All of them clustered behind the sixth year, whispering.  
  
"Now why would I do that?" She raised an eyebrow. "I think I like it here."  
  
"Yeah? Well we don't like you here."  
  
~Great. He's just soooo intelligent.~ She scoffed mentally. ~I know billywigs that could banter better than you do.~ She said nothing, but shrugged. "Too bad."  
  
It didn't look like they were going to leave, so she jumped off the fence and turned to go. The little Gryffindors shifted again, moving away from her. She rolled her eyes. So much for a good fight.  
  
Aeris was waiting.  
  
"You want to go now?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, sure."  
  
Even though the fly home was just as wonderful, Draika didn't enjoy it. She nodded to Aeris as they parted in the dungeons, watching the fire in the common room for what seemed like ages before falling asleep.  
----------  
Good? One question: Should there be a Christmas Dance/Yule Ball type thing? Please put that in your review, if you can…^__^ 


	12. Winter Memories

~Draika~  
  
Chapter Eleven: Winter Memories  
  
The first thing Draika did upon awakening from her resting place in the armchair was get the book. It still sat on the floor, where she had put it as she dozed off. Flipping through the pages, it took her awhile to find the page that was readable. It came quicker than the day before.  
  
'I cannot make it. They grow suspicious--I am somehow being tracked. Wait for another notice, and remember to please keep this HIDDEN!'  
  
She stared at the words on the page, or more at the script. It was bold, definite; final. It was so familiar…she'd seen it somewhere…ugh. Leaning back into the chair, she sighed. It was Sunday…or Saturday. All she really knew was that it wasn't a school day, or the torches in the common room would be lit brightly, not dimmed. It was obviously still considerably early, as no sounds could be heard from the other dormitories. Draika sighed, closing the book and ambling off to her own room.   
  
~So…..tired….~ She thought sleepily before falling asleep, still clutching the book.  
  
The weeks that followed were extremely uneventful. Classes were class-like, and the students continued to ignore her, although sometimes that Ron person would say hi when Hermione wasn't there to scold him. Harry was slowly on the mend, but his injuries had been to an extent that he might not be able to play Quidditch ever again. When news of that got out, even the normally tolerant Hufflepuffs turned nasty.  
  
Sometimes there were pranks. Most of them Draika could spot, but she took them in stride on the rare occasion when she was caught off guard. Her stubborness and resilience to all forms of mockery were further puzzling to the students, which only made them more resentful.  
  
And more time passed. Strange, animal dreams came to Draika as her mind changed with her body, bringing her deeper into the being of the creature. She checked the book every day for messages from Sraelyth--for it was obviously him…who else would want to meet her?  
  
Somewhere around the middle of December, things started to pick up a bit. It all started with Potter's release from the infirmary. As soon as she heard, Draika had rushed to find him, checking every classroom and corridor possible. She finally found him with Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall, just about to go outside.  
  
"Hey!" She ran after them, accidentally knocking over a chair with one of her talons. She made a note to set it right when she was finished. "Wait!"  
  
Harry turned around, and Draika saw him for the first time in ages. Nearly half of his face was in bandages, and one arm was still in a sling. He didn't look afraid or angry, even though Hermione obviously became concerned at Draika's appearance. Ron showed no emotion, averting his eyes to the floor.  
  
"Yes?" Hermione broke the awkward silence, giving Draika a venomously questioning look.  
  
"It's not true. You've got to tell them it's not true." She looked Harry in the eyes. "Tell them."  
  
He sighed. "I don't want to talk about it. If I say it's not you, there's going to be more pestering about who it is."  
  
"But you can at least say it wasn't me! I was at the banquet."  
  
"You left." Hermione said matter-of-factly.  
  
"I…had to go somewhere." Draika said haltingly.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Okay, I had to go throw up my entire stomach because I ate some noodles, is that okay with you?! Ask Myrtle. She teased me the entire time."  
  
Hermione's gaze turned to Harry.   
  
"It's…it's not true. Whatever attacked me…it moved on four legs." He shook his head, and Hermione looked at Draika a little friendlier than before.  
  
"Well…I suppose…" She smiled. "Want to come with us?"  
  
Draika gave a half-smile. "If only it were that simple. I can't go anywhere outside the castle witho--"  
  
"Without me. Either me or my mom and dad, I s'pose!"  
  
Draika nearly jumped a foot in the air. "Linwe?!" She exclaimed.  
  
All three Gryffindors grinned guiltily.  
  
"She's been there for some time now." Ron said, the first words he'd spoken during the exchange.  
  
"C'mon! C'mon c'mon c'mon!" Linwe hopped anxiously. "Let's go play in the snow!"  
  
"Slow down." Hermione warned. "Harry still can't do that, I'm afraid. We were just going to walk around quickly and come back for cocoa."  
  
"Oh. Okay…" The gryphon looked a little put out, but Draika laughed.  
  
"Don't worry…you'll like chocolate."  
  
Then they all headed outside. The wind was harsh and cold, so they barely even got down the steps before Draika's talons were frozen; Harry had tripped and would have banged his head open on one of the ornamental stone gargoyles if Linwe hadn't caught him. Everyone then hastily agreed to go inside and get their cocoa.  
  
"Mmmm…" Linwe dipped her beak into Hermione's mug. "Good!"  
  
"Linwe." Draika raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Sorry…."   
  
"Oh, it's okay, I guess." Hermione smiled. "I've never met a gryphon before. Is it true that you really got to ride one, Draika?"  
  
"Er…yeah." She curled her long 'toes' up and uncurled them, looking around.  
  
Harry blinked, reaching up his good arm to pluck a loose feather from Linwe's head. She smiled.  
  
"Thanks!"  
  
"Uh…you're welcome…" He replied, not that used to talking to animals.  
  
Ron had gotten up a while ago to get a schedule from the Events table some third-years had set up.  
  
"Overachievers…" He grumbled. "Looks like the regular Christmas Banquet….some sort of gathering in March…and a dance." He blinked at the text on the page until Hermione grabbed it.  
  
"I guess the teachers liked the turnout last year, so they decided to do it again!" She smiled, getting a far-off look in her eyes. "It was so much fun last year…but I don't expect it will be so fancy this time."  
  
"Huh?" Draika looked at the three.  
  
"Oh, last year for the Triwizard Tournament there was a Yule Ball." Ron explained, emptying the dregs of his cocoa into his mouth. "You've probably heard about it…."  
  
Draika nodded. "..and…?"  
  
"For the visiting schools, mostly. Just to show them a good time." He shrugged. "It was…okay."  
  
Harry nodded in agreement. "Yeah…our dates weren't….the best, really." He looked embarrassed.  
"No kidding." Hermione said. "You two weren't much better."  
  
"Ow." Ron rolled his eyes. "Thanks a lot, Hermione."  
  
Draika listened to them talk with unobserved interest. It was funny, how they could insult each other so freely, and yet be such good friends.  
  
~Must be some part of being friends…~ She mused, her thoughts wandering.   
  
The other three continued to talk about other things. Draika mostly listened, commenting every so often when she knew something about the subject. She itched her back….damned wings…she would have to find something to do about that dead skin underneath, it was driving her crazy. Maybe there was some sort of spell…  
  
"Hello?" Ron waved a hand in front of her face.  
  
"Hm? Oh, sorry. What?" Draika asked, trying not to sound irate at being yanked out of her thoughts.  
  
"I meant to ask you earlier…why do you wear those things on your fingers?" She realized he was talking about her claws. "I've seen other people with them when we went traveling to Egypt. I tried some on, and they hurt like heck. And don't you get hot, always wearing that heavy cloak?"  
  
Draika shrugged, sighing inwardly. She knew this would happen sooner or later…it always did.   
"Because…I just do…" She looked up at Linwe. "I have to go." She said shortly, standing and half-running out of the hall before anyone could stop her. She could distantly hear Hermione berating Ron about upsetting her…  
  
-That's just like Hermione, isn't it?-  
  
"Wh-what? Who's there?" Draika heard a voice in her head. An animal…but where? She was alone. Looking around, she saw a snowy owl perched on a brick that jutted out from higher up on the wall.   
  
"Is that you?" She asked the owl.  
  
-Yes.- The owl hooted, shaking some dander off her wings. -I'm Hedwig.-  
  
"Harry's owl?"  
  
-The very same. Don't let Ron bother you, he's got no tact. As for Harry, he's been rather shaken up about this whole episode.-  
  
"I don't blame him."  
  
-Hermione always means well, even if she seems to be a little standoffish.-  
  
"Uh…I'll keep that in mind…" Draika nodded.  
  
-Oh, and one last thing, before they come looking for you.- Hedwig fluttered down onto Draika's shoulder, holding out her leg, which Draika had not realized until now, had a note tied to it.  
  
"For me?" She untied it. "From who?"  
  
-The man in the forest.- Hedwig's head turned quickly back to the hall. -They're done. Farewell!- She took off easily and silently, rising like a ghost to the faraway ceiling.  
  
Draika nodded, dashing down a large staircase as she heard her new friends approach. She wasn't trying to avoid them…well, sort of…but she really didn't feel like she could tell them, not yet. She barely knew what happened herself, all that she knew of the incident was what Cirrus Lambaskian had told her...  
---  
"So you are Draika." The young headmaster said solemnly, looking her in the eye. Cirrus had short black hair and soft blue eyes to match his quiet demeanor.  
  
"Yes…" It was a Draika of four years ago, younger and a whole lot more scared. "You said…you had some things to tell me…."  
  
Cirrus sighed.  
"Yes, as much as I would like to avoid it. You are still very young, but I want you to try to understand what I am telling you."  
  
Draika nodded, eyes wide.  
  
"This…thing, this affliction you have. You must know it's not natural."  
  
Another nod.  
  
"It shames me very much to say this, but it was wizards that did this. Very long ago. I knew each and everyone of them…or thought I did." He said bitterly. "They were all the worst kinds…the ones without any regards for the law. They were convinced they could actually make a new species…or, more specifically, re-engineer humans. It was only natural that they would seek a child, to keep track of her growth and how she reacted to the spells and potions…"  
  
"So…wizards did all this…" Draika bit her lip, looking at the floor.  
  
"There was a witch, too, if my memory serves me."  
  
"Do you know…where I was before?"  
  
"I believe you were living with your parents….your father was a wizard and your mother a muggle. I am ashamed as I speak this, but your father was the very one who delivered you into the hands of those criminals…" His eyes were like icy fire as he broke off, clenching his fists.  
  
"You okay….headmaster?"  
  
"Oh, yes….I'm sorry.." He rubbed his head.  
~~~  
"You have her?" A rough voice echoed out of the makeshift watchtower, inexpertly patched with magic onto the roof of a lone house.  
  
"Yes. She's sleeping, so hurry."   
  
"Let 'em in."  
  
Two lanky men rushed forwards to take the child, leading the man in as well.  
  
"It was almost impossible to get her out of there." He said. "I had to finally stun the mother…" He looked sad for just a moment before resuming his expressionless mask. "Are you sure this will work?"  
  
"Positive." Another man stepped forward. From the way the others acted around him, he seemed to be the ringleader. "It will cause her no harm, although it will be painful…do you want me to stun her, V'tana?"  
  
"That might be best, Jaggery." Mr. V'tana nodded curtly, taking several potion ingredients from a locked trunk. "How long will the changes take?"  
  
"We have no precedent. It is impossible to tell. It could take months, years…we don't know how far it will go, or what will happen. Your sacrifice may change the wizarding world forever!" He grinned, showing yellowed teeth. "Birch, Karmigan! Get a small table, and some better light. I can hardly see Mr. V'tana."   
  
The two minions scuttled off, soon returning with a lamp and a table. Several more wizards and witches had come back with them, solemn expressions on their faces.  
  
"My friends and allies…" Began Jaggery. "You will all soon be part of one of the greatest moments in wizarding history. Each and every one of us has discovered something absolutely vital to our purpose, and will not be forgotten if we should indeed find success. Should we fail, none of you will ever be tried or convicted. We are all faithful to each other."  
  
They all nodded.  
  
The next couple of hours were filled with various spells, mixing complicated potions, and making sure the child was still alive. Finally, they were done.  
~~~  
"They didn't know where to put you, so they left you on the step of the boarding house. The note contained one word. Draika. That was what they named you. Your father never went home, and hasn't been heard from since. Your mother died shortly afterwards, I believe…"  
  
Draika sat there, nearly frozen.  
  
"Draika?" Cirrus leaned forwards. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Yes…yes." She nodded slowly, feeling dizzy. "You're sure of all of this?"  
  
"Quite."  
  
"Do…do you know my real name."  
  
Cirrus thought. "No…I've never heard, no…"  
  
"Well…then…" She looked up. "May I go now?"  
  
"Yes, it's nearly midnight. You may leave."  
---  
Draika's heart pounded as she relieved the memory. It had never occurred to her until much later how suspicious it was that Headmaster Lambaskian had known so much about the incident…but it had been too late, and he had fled. The school had shut down, and she had been sent here. And all this was the cause of it.  
  
She could still hear the three looking for her.  
  
"Maybe she went to her common room…"  
  
"It's in the dungeons, right?"  
  
"Down those stairs?"  
  
"I know where it is!"  
  
The last one had been Linwe, eager to please her new friends. Although she loved the young gryphon dearly, Draika couldn't help but curse her for her friendliness. Quickly leaping down the next flight of stairs she ran to the dungeons, hoping she wouldn't be caught.  
  
And obviously, that was too much to hope for.  
  
"Wait!" It was Hermione. "Please?"  
  
Draika clenched her teeth. Pesky Gryffindors…how could she have been so stupid? They were always sticking their noses in where they weren't wanted. But Linwe? She was only a little kid. So she slowed, chest heaving as she labored for breath.  
  
It didn't take long for the three to catch up, even Harry could still run fairly well.  
  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked her.  
  
"I had to go." She said, looking at the ground. Who were they, to interrogate her? But she held her tongue, for once in her life.  
  
Hermione, being Hermione, took this opportunity to further question her. "We've noticed some odd things about you." She said, crossing her arms. "I don't know about Harry or Ron, but friends don't keep secrets."  
  
Draika looked up at them, unable to find words to speak with. Ron looked nervous, but held his ground. Hermione glared her in the eye, as if she could read the answer in those two cold grey-turning-yellow orbs.  
  
"Well?"  
------------------------  
Ooooh….^__^ I rather like the way this chapter turned out. Took me long enough, eh? Well, school gets out on June 2nd for me, so my chapters should become a lot more frequent. Like? No like? Please Review! 


	13. Failed Attempts From Thirty Feet

Double-O-Dolly: Hm…what happened to your cousin, Dana? I miss her reviews! :P Hehehe…no, I appreciate yours too. As to your thingy about forgetting hostility…Ron wasn't really hostile, and Harry was too busy being freaked out to be hostile. And…(another 'and', o.o) remember, Hermione and Draika were almost sort of friends before the attack, so that would make it easier for her to believe Harry. ^__^ Can you tell I really like explaining stuff? Ehehehe…  
  
I'm sorry that some of you didn't like Draika being friendly with those three, but the Gryffindors are too goody to be mean for long. *sigh* Don't worry, I didn't plan for it to last. Just wanted to see where it would take the story.  
  
----------------------------  
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Twelve: Failed Attempts From Thirty Feet  
  
Draika was really in a situation, oh yes. She quickly thought out her options, although her draconian aggressiveness was beginning to surface again. The fear of being cornered was greater than ever.   
  
She could run…again. She didn't like running, but it was a very nice choice. She could get to the dungeons and into the common room before any of them caught up… Or she could attack, make them back off. Right away, that was a definite 'no'…as long as she kept her human mind above her animal one. And that was getting increasingly difficult. Stupid Gryffindors. Didn't they know anything about cornered beasts?  
  
Of course…there was always the most obvious solution: the truth.  
  
~Oh, sure. Tell them the truth, that'll really make 'em like you!~ Draika growled to herself.  
  
All this contemplation had taken more time than she thought it would. ~I should have never…never EVER…~  
  
"So?" Hermione was starting to get that snobby tone in her voice again…Draika didn't like it…she clenched her jaw, looking at the others.   
  
Ron looked at Harry, who looked over at Hermione.  
  
"Maybe some other time." Draika said curtly, turning to go.  
  
Or she would have…but something had seized her shoulder. Whirling around with fury in her eyes, Draika found herself facing Ron.  
  
"You let me go." She growled. Ron was a nice boy, he really was, but he must have been hanging around Hermione too long, or something… "I don't want to hurt you."   
  
"You mean like you hurt Harry?" Hermione said, an air of triumphance in her voice.  
  
"She didn't, I told you!" Harry nearly shouted, surprising everyone. "Why won't you listen to me?"  
  
"Nay, why won't YOU listen to ME?!" Draika shouted back, throwing off Ron's hand and turning around again.   
  
It's still not clear exactly how everything happened, but I'll try to inform you to the best of my abilities. Ron lunged forwards to grab both her arms, intent on getting whatever information Draika was witholding. After all, it seemed like serious stuff. Linwe snarled, leaping at the red headed boy to drag him away from Draika; who was clearly the one she felt more loyalty towards. Hermione gave a shout, trying to drag the enraged gryphon child off her friend. Harry couldn't do much to help, but he did manage to stun the great feathered beast with his wand.  
  
Seeing her chance, Draika ran, but not to the dungeons. She ran up three flights of stairs and down a secret passage, arriving very suddenly at the castle's back entrance. It was a little trick Linwe had showed her not too long ago. Her mind flashed to the incident before. Why the hell was she so afraid to tell anyone? She felt awful, like she was going to be sick. She had left Linwe there, and Stunned top top it all off. Whomever found them would certainly come looking for her next.  
  
Sraelyth. She needed Sraelyth. He could help. He'd understand. Tightening her cloak, she darted out the door towards the forest.  
  
As Draika ran, she felt something poking her side. She halted, gasping for breath while feeling the inside of her cloak. After a moment, her talon hit a sheet of rolled-up parchment…the letter.  
  
"Oh…." Draika breathed. Her heart leapt. The letter! She'd almost forgotten. Taking the chance of being seen, she quickly unrolled it with numb digits.  
  
'Draika-  
  
What do you think you are doing? The most dangerous thing for you to be doing--in my mind--is consorting with those people. They mean you no harm, but they are extremely persistent. They will not stop bothering you until they know. You have a strong will, but I still fear it may give under constant interrogation.   
  
Still, I cannot end this letter on such a harsh note. Come see me tonight, after sundown. I have nothing of importance to tell you, but it would be nice to talk again.  
  
-Friend'  
  
Draika stared, quickly repocketing the message as vicious winds tore at it, threatening to sweep it out of her grasp. It was hours until sundown…but she wouldn't…no, simply couldn't go back to the castle while there was a chance of being caught. It was funny how she had had just those thoughts minutes ago.  
  
She could go to the forest and wait. Yeah, right. It was freezing in there, and she'd probably get attacked by half a dozen something-or-others before night fell. Going back to the castle was indeed an option, no matter how much she insisted to her mind that it wasn't. Of course that would probably mean being dragged to several different offices and endless corridors as she waited for whomever got stuck with dealing with her. She could also stop being silly, trying to think everything out. It hadn't gotten her very far, now had it?  
  
With an air of resolution, Draika began the walk to the forest's edge, leaving very irregular prints in the snow. She hoped her feet wouldn't freeze, but you never really know. It was a price she was willing to pay. Five minutes later and some very numb feet, she had reached the foremost tree….a great forked one. Looking down at her claws, Draika smiled. A moment later she was high in the boughs, hanging easily with her claws in the soft bark.  
  
~Now THIS will work.~ She grinned, reaching for the next tree. It was only too easy! No horrible 'monsters' could possibly hide in the bare branches of all the trees. It was like flying! Grab…leap! Swing! She grinned giddily, latching onto the trunk of a gnarled oak with her feet while her hands searched for another hold.   
  
~Just like a monkey.~ She mused. ~Or a flying squirrel.~  
  
Flying.  
  
She paused again, wondering. Maybe….hm. Another grin spread across her face, but this one was mischievous instead of happy. She climbed up to the tree's fork, resting. The sky was nice and blue, with little grey clouds. Snow soon….  
  
Reaching back, she tore at her robes. Which would have been embarrassing if she hadn't done it carefully…with a sigh of relief, the two wings extended themselves, each about only three feet long when extended.  
  
~Six-foot wingspan…~ She thought, trying to dredge up all that horrid math the muggles had taught her. Or tried to teach her. ~It should be enough. Enough to glide.~ She tossed the strips of fabric to the ground…black lines clearly visible against the white powder.   
  
Heart pounding with excitement, Draika began to climb again. Up and up and up and up…until the only things left were tiny twigs that would surely break under her weight. There were other trees much taller, but this was a good one, still about thirty feet up. It had occurred to her that this was very hazardous, don't worry. Not yet, anyway. She flexed the bronze-scaled wings' muscles, flapping them a few times.  
  
~This could be it…~ She looked around for anyone. No one. But who would be in the forest, anyhow? Once she could fly…well, nothing could keep her anywhere. She would be free. Totally free. If it worked. Holding her breath, she gathered her legs beneath her and jumped into the air. She panicked for a moment, flailing her arms. But then…something just sort of..happened. Like another mind in her own. The mind knew how to fly.  
  
Draika relaxed, letting her other mind take over. Her wings spread, catching every draft. The thin membranes were actually quite tough, letting her glide like a kite, ever closer to the ground. Strong winds began to blow, howling lost souls seeking vengeance on those who wronged them.   
  
"YAAAAAAAAAAH!" She yelled. Pure exhilaration. Flapping for more altitude that was quickly slipping through her fingers like sand in an hourglass, she panted for breath. Hard work. She couldn't stay up in the air much longer…she'd have to catch onto a tree or drop…landing would probably break her neck. She braced herself, knowing she was going far too fast to ever hope to catch onto a tree. She'd have to drop.  
  
Faster! Draika put her arms to her sides, folding her wings to all but closed. She dove like a bullet. Tree! Left! Right! Tree! Tree! Treetreetreetreetreetreetree!!! Ten feet! Too high up? No time to think, go! GO! She folded her wings, tumbling through a world of sharp little twigs and dead leaves. The entire flight had lasted less than a minute.  
  
"What the--" A figure! She tried to open her wings, to steer, but there was no time, no altitude… "Aaaaah!"  
  
*FWUMP*  
  
"Gaaaah…"  
  
Draika looked up at the sky, massaging her head. What had she hit? Or, more precisely…what had she fallen onto? The figure shifted under her weight, and she rolled off onto the cold snow. A small sack was nearby; some strange-looking plants had fallen out of it.  
  
The person sat up, quickly regaining his composure.  
  
"What do you think you are doing out here?!" He stood, angrily turning to the still-kneeling Draika.  
  
Draika whipped her head around from gazing at the bag of plants, suddenly very afraid. More afraid than when she had leapt out of the tree, felt the ecstasy of flying..or something like it. All her previous joy was disintegrated, albeit temporarily by the cold words of one Severus Snape.  
  
"Get in the castle." He growled, hauling Draika to her feet after retrieving his sack of plants. "Now." 


	14. The Trial of Steppenwolf

Hey, veame! (look at me) XD Sorry. What I really wanted to tell you was that I'm actually WORKING on a chapter! Yes! Right after I posted a new one! I am…not lazy! Whooooo! *does dance of the girl who wasn't lazy*  
  
Nako-Chan: Mwa…thanks! I vaguely remember SWAT Cats…even though you didn't mention it, I'll read it! Although I'm not promising I'll understand it…lol. Does anyone remember Road Rovers? I think they were on Cartoon Network five or so years ago?  
  
Dana Dancer: …maybe. Now that you've brought it up, it seems more and more like a good idea.  
  
And that, boys and girls, is why you should ALWAYS review each chapter! *poke* Oh, and if the name Steppenwolf sounds familiar to any of you…it was one of Knuckle's ancestors. As in Sonic the Hedgehog. -.o  
  
Okay…I own nothing. Well…actually I do. Sort of. But nothing concerning this story except Draika, the gryphons, the idea of Sraelyth but not his character (which is actually really confusing), and…um…various other peoples that might pop up that have never appeared in the books or the movies. I also do not own Sonic the Hedgehog. It is © to someone much richer than me.  
  
I have no idea where I have heard the name Grindenwald, but it sounds familiar! If anyone could tell me where that name is from…?  
  
Well, this chapter gets sort of depressing…in a different way that normal for this story…um…yep. A little bit angst-y at the end, but not in a self-pity kinda way. *shudder*  
  
----------------  
  
~Draika~  
  
  
  
Chapter Thirteen: The Trial of Steppenwolf  
  
~Oh boy…~ Draika thought as she was marched into the castle. ~Guess I really blew it…~ But it had been worth it. Every second. Even the whole crashing-onto-Snape thing…which hadn't been intentional. She hadn't even SEEN him. But something very obvious gave her a feeling that she wasn't into trouble for giving the Potions master a black eye.  
  
Yes, a black eye. She glanced over her shoulder to see Snape's sallow skin puffing out a bit around his right eye. It would be very colorful, she supposed. A real shiner. Draika shuddered. Yeah, sure! That would look sooooo good against her defense…the defense that was just then being hastily thrown together in her frazzled mind, nerves still tingling, laughing uncontrollably from the thrill of flight.  
  
But still…what would happen? She would probably get ages of detention…or would they expel her? Would they really?   
  
~No.~ She thought, a sudden glimmer of hope blossoming in her mind. ~They would have already if expulsion was an option with me…I mean…all the other stuff I've done…~ It was a happy thought…but spending hours of cleaning filth with Filch and Mrs. Norris, his mangy cat, wasn't exactly something she was looking forward to.  
  
Much to her surprise, they were not headed for the Headmaster's office. Snape led her down into the dungeons, past his office, past the common room, down the tunnel where every student in the castle had been forbidden to go. The gryphon's den. As the tunnel grew darker, Draika's mind began to whirr once again. Why the hell was Snape taking her down here? He hadn't said anything since "get in the castle", so she assumed it was something only the gryphons could deal with.  
  
Her thoughts turned to Linwe. Where was she now? Did anyone know what had happened? Well…they had to! It had been almost an hour since Draika had left the castle…nothing like that went unnoticed for long. Were they looking for her now? Why did she keep asking herself questions? Draika had to laugh a bit at that last one…it was true. Just like trying to lay out her options, asking questions that might never be answered was not a particularly bright notion.  
  
Snape glared at her, obviously put off by the small laugh. Draika blinked, running her claws along the stone walls. They needed sharpening.  
  
Then…a small light. It grew bigger very slowly, and it was a few seconds before Draika realized they had stopped, and that the light was moving towards them. It looked to be an enormous torch, held by a tawny gryphon with bright copper wings. He studied them for a moment, then nodded. Snape gestured Draika forwards, turning around to walk hastily out of sight.  
  
Draika looked up at the enormous beast. He wasn't as large as Steppenwolf, that was for sure, but big all the same.   
  
"Hello, Grindenwald." She smiled, hoping to at least try to be friendly.  
  
Grindenwald's eyes showed no change in emotion or any other reaction, save for the reflection of the torch's dancing flame.  
  
"This way, please." He said kindly, waiting for her to step ahead before continuing behind her. That made Draika even more suspicious…whatever she was here for, it was obvious they didn't want her getting away. They walked in silence. Every noise echoed off the curved tunnel walls, making them as audible as a shout. After awhile, it did seem like there were people shouting…or something.  
  
Grindenwald sighed, walking beside Draika as natural light came into view. They were still undeniably underground…but somehow there was sunlight streaming through to warm the large cave she now found herself in. There looked to be a million tiny holes in the ceiling of the place, each letting in a miniscule amount of light. Joined together, though, you couldn't tell the difference.  
  
But what caught Draika's attention were the gryphons. Gryphons of every color imaginable…well, not really; there wasn't anything absurd like green or purple, but like Aeris' feathers, you could see undertones of green or purple, though the main colors were much more natural. Most did have golden eyes. A few had orange, and she even spotted one whose were a bright emerald green. The coloring was actually the last thing she noticed.  
  
They were all fighting. Yelling, screeching, even some were bristling at others, on the verge of fighting. Linwe laid in a corner. Stunned? Draika's breath caught in her throat until she saw the black gryphon's side steadily rising and falling with sleep.  
  
"Sleeping potion." Her guide placed the torch in a bracket on the wall, shaking his head. "It's better that she not see this." Grindenwald did not join the fight, but stayed to the edges, like a few others Draika could see. Looking around, she spotted Steppenwolf on a ledge, almost like a podium. But there were two fierce-looking gryphons on either side of him, one pure white and the other pitch black. Like guards. She watched as Steppenwolf tried to move to the side…the two gryphons grabbed him by the shoulders, holding him firmly in place.  
  
Those were no bodyguards. They were there to make sure he didn't escape. Draika cast her eyes around again, and quickly spotted the ash Aerisan, who was then screeching and bristling at a bulky golden gryphon, whose return actions were not too friendly himself.  
  
"What…what is this all about?" Draika whispered to Grindenwald.  
  
"You. And Steppenwolf. Mainly Steppenwolf." He corrected himself, sitting down. "That's…what…twice now you've gotten away while he was supposed to be watching you. Crevyl has accused incompetence of Steppenwolf to do his job." He paused. "It's a great dishonor, and even if it's not true and he is not…removed…he may step down anyhow."  
  
Something about the word removed sent shivers down Draika's spine. "And why is keeping me in the castle so important?" She demanded.  
  
"Well, see…" Grindenwald shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't know. Just a few do…secrets, you know. Just Steppenwolf, probably Aerisan, and the judge."  
  
"Judge?" Draika asked. She hadn't known gryphons were so…democratic. "So…this is like…a trial."  
  
"Yes." He stretched his talons in front of him, lying down more comfortably. "Not as fair as in the Muggle world, sadly. The judge will be jury and witness. Prosecutor. Defense. Executioner. It's a bloody job, and quite a biased one, though we very rarely get into disputes that need this sort of treatment. Most judges are very old, almost senile. But no one else wants the job, so they let them carry on with it until they drop dead."  
  
"So…who's Crevyl?" Draika tried to ask the simplest question she could, still attempting to comprehend the facts Grindenwald had just told her.  
  
"The judge. A young one, too: Our old Demoir passed away before we came here. Since Crevyl's the one actually making the accusations, Steppenwolf doesn't stand a chance."  
  
"So he'll be…removed?"  
  
"I'm afraid so." The tawny gryphon stretched one copper wing, preening a loose feather out. He smoothed the edges very carefully before giving it to Draika. "Here. No doubt it will come in handy."  
  
Before Draika could ask what he meant, exactly, a smallish gryphon the color of tree bark stepped up in front of Steppenwolf and the two guards, waiting for the disturbance to settle. Which it did, rather quickly. Crevyl.  
  
"I address you, the North Cliffs Clan of Steppenwolf." Crevyl spat the name out, orange eyes burning. He had dark green undertones, much like moss on the bark-colored feathers. For such a small being, he had a loud, commanding voice. No wonder they settled so fast. "Of the treason of said 'leader'."  
  
Many mumbles met the silence readily. Crevyl paused for effect before continuing, a grim smile on his beak. "I charge him with incompetence to fulfill his duties as assigned to guard the child of Dori Sage-V'tana, long friend to all the Cliffs clans." There was more silence.  
  
Draika nearly stumbled, even though she wasn't walking. Leaning against Grindenwald, she tried to make sense once again.   
  
~To guard the child…the child of Dori Sage-V'tana…Dori Sage…~  
  
"If even our most trusted cannot do the job, who can we trust?" Several calls rang up from the crowd below. "So it is with much weight do I ask of you to choose! Do you really wish to keep your treasonous friend?" It was like a campaign speech. He couldn't officially do anything without pretending to have the people's support, although it would have been done anyhow.  
  
The great silver gryphon was sitting, expressionless. He had said nothing. Nothing would be said, Draika had a feeling. She knew the expression all too well, seen it on her own face. He had given up. She looked away, focusing on studying the runes engraved into the torch. Pretty. It was impossible to block out the words being said, of course. From time to time she looked up at Grindenwald, but he said nothing.   
  
After awhile Draika managed to zone out, staring into the pocket of air in front of her face. It was always important to know how to zone out. Especially for stuff like this. It saved a lot of undue stress and perspiration. Crevyl seemed to have reached a general consensus…an ancient looking gryphon, feathers drained of all their pigments to grey, carried a staff to him. The staff was beautiful polished wood, though a bit gnarled. It had a brilliant glowing stone attached to the top, radiating immense warmth and power.  
  
Crevyl took it hastily, almost greedily. No one moved, or scarcely breathed. He seemed to be growing larger, more terrible as an otherworldly flame began to dance about the staff. Draika flinched, drawing back. Grindenwald shifted, drawing her closer with a foreleg, for comfort. All of a sudden she wished she hadn't chosen to tune out, however horrible it might have been to listen. The gryphon raised the staff, turning to face Steppenwolf.  
  
The strong leader Draika remembered cowered, eyes afraid. He was saying something, speaking quickly. She couldn't hear it, but she could guess. Pleading. A dull murmur arose…it was not the gryphons. It was as if millions of disembodied voices had chosen to descend. Names, places, times forgotten were now echoed forth, rising to a deafening roar as they echoed and those echoes were echoed in return.  
  
She wanted to close her eyes. She wanted to look away. But she couldn't. If she did, she would regret it for the rest of her life. Several gryphons had turned away, including Aerisan. Crevyl paused, smirking. He was enjoying taunting the doomed one. It made Draika sick. But she had to watch.  
  
A noise behind, so contrasting with the mystical voices echoing in her ears, made her jump. It was Snape. How long he'd been there she couldn't guess. Maybe he'd been there the entire time, turning around to follow as soon as she had walked out of sight. He did not see her looking up at him, just as fixated on the scene as she had been. Draika looked back, swallowing the lump in her throat.  
  
Crevyl screamed, making every being within hearing range jump with surprise. Draika wondered what the students in the castle thought about the strange noises, if they could hear them at all. It echoed along with the voices, never fading. With a savage stroke, the merciless accuser brought the staff down.  
  
Draika swayed, all of a sudden dizzied. Blackness, blackness…  
  
And the trial of Steppenwolf was ended. 


	15. In Terms of Density

Dana Dancer: lol…just keep trying, it'll get through eventually! (which it did)  
  
Karen: Even though you didn't review, I still feel the need to give you a bit of my precious Author's Note. ^.^ You got your wishes in this chapter.  
  
---------------------------------------  
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Fourteen: In Terms of Density  
  
"Hey." Someone was shaking her. Where was she? She didn't know that voice. "Draika."  
  
Her eyes blinked open. A beaked face was staring down at her. "Grindenwald?" Draika asked, sitting up sharply. "Thanks." She looked around. "That was weird."  
  
She was still in the gryphon's den. The sun was still shining brightly through the little pin-sized holes.   
  
The echoes of voices still cascaded, quietly tapering off. The other gryphons had begun to ignore the three gryphons at the podium, and were going about their business with hushed whispers. Snape stood by the exit, observing with an expressionless face.  
  
"You're welcome." Grindenwald sounded confused, like he didn't know exactly why he was being thanked. "Ready to go back?" He seemed overall too happy for someone who had just experienced something like…that.  
  
"Not yet." Draika shook her head, lowering her head back onto the ground to stare at the ceiling.  
  
"Are you all right?" The gryphon asked, peering into her line of sight.  
  
"Yep." She replied. "Just thinking. How come you're not….sad?"  
  
"Things happen." He sighed. "When you live for as long as we do…you learn to accept these things. It was something that I'd rather have not had happen, but there are many things we can't control." He sat back, looking around. "I wonder if he'll try to come back…"  
  
Draika absorbed all this, blinking up into the blinding miniscule rays of light. There were too many threads to follow, too many things to try to piece together. It made her head spin. She couldn't think. Too much happening.  
  
"What do you mean by "come back"? Isn't he…" She asked hesitantly.  
  
"Oh no!" Grindenwald smiled, holding back a laugh. "He was sent away."  
  
"Sent away." Draika repeated skeptically. "To where?"  
  
He shrugged. "I have no idea. Probably somewhere in the Sahara. But then again, Crevyl could have chosen to kill him…"  
  
"So you don't really know what happened."  
  
"Nope." He sighed again, lying down. "It's a continual mystery."  
  
Draika rolled her eyes mentally. Too confusing. What made them think she could understand all of this? She just wanted to take a century-long nap, followed by a few seconds of living. And then death. Which wouldn't be so bad, really, just something new…or whatever. Better than that life, at least. She clenched her teeth, biting her tongue. This was getting too deep for her tastes.  
  
"I'm going back up." Draika said, standing. "See you, I guess." She walked across the cave towards the den's exit with a small wave to Grindenwald. For a moment Snape moved as if to stop her, but changed his mind in the middle of his action. He stepped back, letting her pass. Draika nodded to him, wondering why he hadn't mentioned detention. Was going through this supposed to be punishment enough? He gave her a searching look, turning his head to watch her go down the tunnel. Someone had healed his black eye, his face was once again uniformly sallow.  
  
Twice on the long, dark walk back she stopped, listening for his steps. But either he was very quiet or was not following at all. She could only see a bit, a dim yellow haze in night vision. Seeing the tunnel's exit in the distance, Draika sighed in relief. She was hungry, and it was time for supper. She could hear the students making their way to the great hall, bustling about with their usual level of noise.  
  
Trying to remain congruous to the crowd Draika stepped out of the dungeons, joining the throng of chattering students. Hufflepuffs, mostly, by who she could see. Prattling on about some assignment they'd gotten last week. No one seemed to notice her, for once. She smiled, taking a seat at the Slytherins' table.  
  
A boy she'd never noticed before was seated across from her. He had dark brown eyes, and his longish hair was dyed a dark shade of blue. He looked at her for a moment, before turning back to his stew. Draika rolled her eyes, glaring over his shoulder at the Gryffindor table. He laughed, and Draika noticed that one of his ears was pierced, sporting a large stud colored to look like an eye.  
  
"Yeah, those Gryffindors are bags of wind, aren't they?" He was stating it more than asking. "We should chuck 'em all out."  
  
"Ah." Draika continued to eat her ham.  
  
"Don't know what's the matter with you.." He made a face. "I see you around a lot. You're always so gloomy."  
  
"Any why shouldn't I be?" Who was he, anyhow? Little smart-ass. "Maybe that's just what I'm used to."  
  
"Yeah? Well, too bad for you." He popped a grape into his mouth, smiling. "You don't know what you're missing, you really don't. Name's Blaise, by the way. Zabini. Hate it when people call me by my last name." He shuddered. "Like taking your name away, just like that." Blaise snapped his fingers, leaning forwards a bit.  
  
"I see." She nodded, only vaguely interested. Continuing to look over his shoulder, she watched Hermione say something to another Gryffindor in a whisper. She didn't see Ron. Good..maybe Linwe had really hurt him.  
  
"Oh, I get it." Blaise scoffed. "Ignoring the crazy guy." He grinned. "Well, I am crazy, then."  
  
"Good for you…" Draika blinked, not really sure what to say. He was actually trying to be nice…but not in a forced way. Like he actually wanted to be nice. "…watch this." She said with a conniving glint in her eye. Picking up her spoon, she placed a hunk of ham ever so carefully in it, and then flicked it over Blaise's shoulder.  
  
It hit a Gryffindor in the ear. Blaise erupted into a torrent of laughter, causing several conversations to falter and die. He picked up a hunk of bread, and hurled it at the Gryffindor closest to him without any subtlety whatsoever. Draika hid a laugh. She was going to have to teach him a thing or two about being sneaky.  
  
Several Slytherins caught on quickly to the new game, flicking little bits of food at the rival House, and then turning away quickly. The secrecy wouldn't last that long, however. One particularly brash second year Gryffindor turned around, chucking his broccoli at Blaise. Who would blame him? Broccoli wasn't all that nice of a food anyhow.  
  
Almost everyone started moving at the same time, throwing food at their opposing House. The air was filled with food and an immeasurable level of noise, both friendly and not. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs edged away, giving each other sideways glances.  
  
Of course, this didn't go unnoticed by the teachers, especially McGonagall. She was there in an instant, fuming. The only one there, as a matter of fact. Snape had not showed up for dinner, and the other teachers seemed amused by the situation.  
  
"Stop this moment. You're acting like little children." She ordered, eyes narrowed. The Gryffindors backed off considerably, but then a piece of chicken cordon bleu hit her in the nose. "Who did that?!" She whirled around, and Draika wouldn't have been surprised if she'd have drawn her wand on the new attacker.  
  
A little cough came from the teachers' table. Dumbledore was grinning, twiddling his wand between his fingers. Pointing it at his jello, he sent it flying onto a very unlucky (or lucky, whichever way you'd look at it) Gryffindor.  
  
A moment of stunned silence followed while everyone waited for the Gryffindor's reaction. He wiped the dessert off his face, looking around. It was Fred Weasley. Or maybe it was George…or Fred. George. Whatever. I'm not going to waste any more time on that. He winked at Fred (or George, whatever he wasn't), sending his milk into Draco's face.  
  
Now THAT sparked something. McGonagall barely had time to move out of the way before she would have been covered in food of all sorts. Someone (presumably Fred. George. Didn't we go through this already?) had returned Dumbledore's blow, splattering him with gravy.  
  
Even the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws started to come around, joining the Gryffindors to try to beat Slytherin…the methods needed to 'beat' someone in a food fight have not been discovered since then, but it probably has something to do with surrender and whatnot.  
  
Draika grinned. She couldn't remember when she'd had this much fun. There were still the Slytherins who were 'too good' to join in the lowly fight, but hey, that was really their problem. Blaise had completely lost control, if that even covers all of it. He was having the time of his life, shouting and waving his wand at the first year Gryffindors, who were easily scared…but actually throwing very little food.  
  
She glanced over at the idle Slytherins. Didn't they know how to have fun? It wasn't very often that this kind of thing happened. Pocketing her wand, she looked around, ducking behind a table to avoid a spray of cheese whip. It was chaos! It was mayhem! All in all, pretty good. The rest of the teachers had left the hall, even Dumbledore, who had actually been the one to reinitiate the fight.  
  
Blaise looked around. Where was she? Stupid girl…he peered under the tables. She wasn't afraid of food, was she? Typical.  
  
Draika peered over the edge of the table. Seeing a Gryffindor with his back turned to her, she grinned and tried to approach as stealthily as possible. Not that anyone would notice her; they were all too busy throwing stuff. Very few students were still seated, and even a few were attempting to finish their meal.  
  
Seizing a bowl of mashed potatoes from the table, Draika raised it dramatically above the unwitting boy's head. With a satisfying glomp, she turned it upside-down and smashed it on his head, amongst a hysterical fit of laughter from the Slytherins who saw.  
  
He turned around immediately, drawing his wand. Draika had to keep from laughing…it hadn't been a Gryffindor at all! In the confusion he must have gotten all the way to the Gryffindor side…and the school robes all looked the same from the back…Hehehehehehe…poor Draco. What? She really didn't know it was him! Honest! I swear to drunk I'm not God!  
  
"Don't mess with me, V'tana." He grated, apparently not at all amused by the fact that he had been potatoed.  
  
Draika shrugged, turning around to be promptly smacked in the face by a glob of pudding. Wiping off the chocolate mess, she whirled around, trying to see who had hit her. Seeing only one person watching her, she scowled. It was an older Gryffindor…seventh year, probably. She looked mad.  
  
"What did you do?!" She yelled, barely heard above the raucous noise. "I heard you set a gryphon on Ron Weasley!"  
  
"Do you believe everything you hear?!" Draika yelled back. "She did it on her own!"  
  
"Well, you were involved, that's enough for me!" She sneered.  
  
Draika sighed angrily, climbing over a chair to approach the girl. "I don't care what you heard, I didn't do anything!"  
  
"I don't care either. You're just not right. I've heard things. You think no one watches you?" The girl drew her wand again, at the same moment that Draika did.  
  
"I know they do. With good reason." Draika grinned evilly. "You never know when I'll try something…" Her heart pounded. A bolt of pain ran down her back, jolting her legs.   
  
"Some say you're making it all up for attention." The Gryffindor hissed. "You wouldn't believe some of the rumors…"  
  
~How did SHE get into Gryffindor?~ Draika wondered, half-panicked. The girl would be an excellent Slytherin. She was just opening her mouth to say so, when the girl hit her square on with an impedimenta curse. Draika blinked. She was slowing…somehow. Great. It only lasted a few moments, though…when those moments were over, the Gryffindor girl was still there. Smirking. Draika growled, slapping her across the face. Normally she wouldn't have reacted so mildly, but hey, she was trying.  
  
No one noticed them..which was probably a good thing for the moment. The Gryffindor touched her face, fingers coming away bloody. With a lunge, the two girls collided, hitting and pulling hair and overall having a general catfight. Why is it that girls fight like that only when they fight other girls? The world may never know.  
  
A few Slytherins wandered over to watch, losing interest in the food fight. The Gryffindor's friends rushed over, being all Gryffindor-like, trying to be brave…ffft. Someone hauled her away from the older girl, arms hooked under her shoulders. Looking towards the Gryffindor, she saw McGonagall had dragged the girl away as well.  
  
"Lemme go." Draika tried to flail her arms as she was carried vertically. She couldn't even turn around.  
  
"Stop that, you foolish girl." Snape's cold voice met her ears. "I take a short leave and this is what happens…though I hold Dumbledore in the highest regards…I am shocked that he allowed something of that nature to continue unsupervised." He still had a stronghold around Draika's arms, like she would run away if he put her down. Which is probably what would have happened. "Especially after today, you still choose to pull a stunt like this."   
  
Draika wondered briefly how heavy she was. And how Snape could carry her upright and walk at the same time. And where they were going. Where WERE they going? She'd never been down this hallway before. She'd never even seen it. It was right after the sixth floor's moving stair…but she'd never noticed it. She wished he would put her down…her back hurt enough already without him stretching her out.  
  
They turned down a dark corridor, and then he stopped. The wall was bare here.  
  
"O83K5X29." Snape said, walking forwards through the wall.  
  
Draika blinked. Through the wall? And that had to be one of the oddest passwords she'd ever heard. The wall had just gotten…transparent. In terms of density, really. It was there, but not really. He set her down, and she immediately went back to the wall. It was solid again. Running her hands over it, Draika blinked. Weird.  
  
It was a fairly large room; apparently up in a tower, seeing as the ceiling was high and peaked. Large gothic-style arches framed the stained glass windows. Pretty. Three walls were decorated with patterned tapestries in dark reds and greens, the other wall covered by a large bookcase. A fire was lit in the fireplace, but it was burnt almost all the way down. There were several armchairs around a large, circular table in the center of the room.  
  
Snape walked over to the fire. He waved his wand over it, and it immediately leapt up again from the glowing embers. The firelight cast eerie shadows around the room that danced and flickered with the fire's movements.  
  
"You're not here for punishment." Snape informed her, taking a book out of the bookcase. He flipped through it, removing a folded sheet of paper before bending down to yank a trapdoor open that Draika had not spotted. "I am going to fetch Ardror." He said shortly, stuffing the paper into his robes. "Stay here, and don't try to leave."  
  
A large shadow passed over the room. Something was blocking out the moon…probably just a cloud.  
  
"Do you understand?" Snape pressed.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah." She said vacantly, wandering over to the window. Something was out there…at least it looked like it…  
  
"Hm." He descended through the trapdoor, vanishing from sight.   
  
As soon as he was gone, the shadow passed. Squinting her eyes, Draika could see a form flying through the sky. It quickly vanished from sight. She sighed, turning her back to the window to watch the fire. A loud tapping sound made her jump in surprise.   
  
Sraelyth was outside the window, clinging to a stone gargoyle. He grinned, making a gesture for her to open the window. Combing her eyes over the patterned glass, Draika found a rectangular panel that hinged inwards. Prying it open with some difficulty, (it had obviously not been used in a long time) she managed to poke her head out.  
  
"Hello!" She whispered, grinning. "Did I keep you waiting?"  
  
"Not for long." The dragon shifted, looking around warily. "News travels fast among creatures of the forest. It took him forever to leave you alone, didn't it?"  
  
It took a moment before Draika realized he meant Snape. She nodded.  
  
"Yeah…he's gone to get Ardror."  
  
"Ardror…the name sounds familiar."  
  
"Do you know any of the gryphons?" She asked. "I guess he's going to take Steppenwolf's place."  
  
"Ah, yes, I knew the name of Steppenwolf. Is it true that Crevyl has taken the clan?" He unfolded his wings and folded them again, shifting his grip on the stony perch.  
  
"Does news actually travel that fast?" Draika marveled at her ability to talk in a civilized way around Sraelyth. He understood her, that was it.  
  
"Indeed it does, young human." He smiled. "But I did not come here for idle chatter. Take this." He held out one of his large talons, wrapped around a small bundle. It could hardly fit through the panel, but somehow Sraelyth got it to fit. "I think that…." He trailed off, eyes narrowing as he gazed into the room. "He's coming back! I'll get in touch." And with that, he let go of the gargoyle, freefalling some twenty feet before opening his wings to glide quickly out of sight.  
  
Draika listened hard…she could hear voices down below. Quickly stuffing the bulky package into her robes, she sat down in an armchair, hoping Snape wouldn't notice the bulge.  
  
"…and I'm sure that will be no trouble to fix." Snape said, emerging from the trapdoor.   
  
A gryphon followed him, squeezing through the narrow space. Although he was a foot taller than Snape, the gryphon (obviously Ardror) was on the small side for gryphons. His jet black feathers were greyed around his crest. Ardror's most unique feature would have been his single eye. It was bright emerald green. The other eye was long gone, the socket obviously bare beneath it's feathered lid.  
  
"…hello…" Draika said from the armchair, not sure whether she was supposed to greet him. Snape gave her a sharp glance, and she quickly stood, hands behind her back to hold the package up. Bowing quickly, she waited for either to say something.  
  
The old gryphon watched her, his one eye seeming to bore straight through her. She blinked, looking away. Ardror said nothing.  
  
Snape watched the two for a moment.  
  
"Ardror will be keeping an eye on you…"  
  
Draika nearly snorted at the unintended pun, but bit her tongue. Feeling the taste of blood in her mouth, she made a mental note to herself: Remember teeth are sharp.  
  
"…but not in the usual way. He will not follow you around, but your activities will still be known. You needn't worry about private things, he's not a peeping tom." Turning briefly to Ardror to make sure that was all, he nodded to Draika.  
  
"You may go now, Draika." He waved his hand dismissively, taking a seat in an armchair.  
  
Draika paused. "Um…sir?" She winced mentally 'sir?'. Gods. "The wall?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, yes. The wall." Snape murmured distractedly, gazing into the fire. If he thought anything was odd, he did a good job at keeping it hidden. "Don't worry about it."  
  
"Er…okay. Thank you." She turned and walked quickly to the wall, sticking a hand out. The wall was transparent again. She rushed through it before Snape turned around, heart pounding for some reason. Her back still hurt so much…maybe she should go to Madam Pomfrey. No. She wouldn't. Not unless she was sent. She wasn't one of those weak little children who cried at pain and immediately sought relief.  
  
After a few minutes of walking down deserted corridors, Draika took the package out. Who would think anything of a student getting a package? The common room offered little refuge. Several students were scattered about, talking and studying. There wasn't an empty chair, but she sat down anyways by the fire, back against the stone brickwork.  
  
Draika opened the package carefully, not wanting to damage anything. The contents were rather simple…more packaging than merchandise, to put it simply. A wire-toothed comb about the length of her hand dropped onto her lap, followed by a small leaflet and a fang on a cord.  
  
She blinked, examining the comb. The teeth were not sharp, but would be useful for cleaning out her scales. The leaflet was titled 'Physics of Flight'. Flipping through it, Draika smiled. Sraelyth had brought Christmas early. On the back was a small note, scribbled in unruly writing, in that same rust-colored ink.  
  
'Couldn't wait. Try not to get yourself in trouble anymore.'  
  
A small grin flitted across her face. She looked up, and was immediately met by a pair of huge blue eyes. They blinked once before Draika realized they were attached to a young girl.  
  
"Hello! I'm Miaka."  
  
----------  
  
Hehehehehe…I actually wrote a long-ish chapter! It just started rolling out, ne? Sorry to bother you with such a trivial fact, but I mostly wrote this to "Peace on Earth" by U2, "Dust in the Wind" by Duchicela (has anyone heard of them besides me?) and "Rain" from the Spirit soundtrack. Meh…not that it fits most of the text or anything…unless it does and I'm too stupid to notice…*blink* Eh. Christmas is postponed from chapter 15 to chapter..uh…not 15, sorry! Still haven't got the fifth book. -.- 30 bucks at Wal-Mart?! No thank you. 


	16. Drokaal and Tomonari

Kananori: Okay, you didn't put this in your review, but ooooh! I'm so flattered that I'm in your little binder thing. (She prints out her favorite fanfiction and puts them in all these binders…ehehehehe….) *feels special*  
  
To those of you who are wondering where the hell I got a name like Miaka…Behind the Name. It means 'cure' in some language other than English, French, or Spanish. Or German. Hm…*thinks* Eh.  
  
A belated thanks to Karen and Kananori for bits of help on the previous chapter…^.^ Just to let you guys know, I'm going to be gone for two weeks in July, so the next chapter might take even LONGER than this…*sigh* I'm slow at chapters as it is, I know. I'll try to use my rest hour to think of ideas. Heh…yeah, they give us an hour after lunch to sleep or read or whatever, it's really nice.  
  
Okay, I'm aware the fifth book has come out recently. I'm sorry to say that I have to omit ALL occurrences in the fifth book from this story, just to avoid confusion.  
  
-----   
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Drokaal and Tomonari  
  
"Uh…" Draika quickly shoved all the items back into the box. "Good for you." She would have backed up, but she was already against the wall. Miaka had thick curly red hair, and lots of freckles. Had she been sorted this year? She looked familiar.  
  
"Blaise is right, you really need to work on your people skills." Miaka concluded decisively, standing up. "We try to be nice, you know. He felt bad about you getting in trouble. Blaise says you need to learn to control your anger." She blinked, studying the older girl. "It's no wonder you're miserable all the time, you should ask Blaise--"  
  
"Okay, what is it with you and Blaise?" Draika stood up, beginning to get severely annoyed. "You're mentioning his name every eight words."  
  
"Am not." Miaka sniffed. "And why shouldn't I talk about him, he's my brother."  
  
"Your brother." Draika repeated. "No offense, but I don't really see the resemblance…"  
  
"Oh, that's okay. We have different mothers, but our father is the same." Miaka seemed like a very bouncy person, however odd that adjective may have seemed at the time. "I don't see why he thinks he has to dye his hair…ridiculous, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah." Draika muttered, sitting down in a now-vacated armchair. "Are you feeling okay?"  
  
"What do you mean? I'm just fine. Do I look pale? Or flushed? Maybe it's just the fire…"  
  
"No, I mean…you're talking to me. Very quickly. And happily."  
  
"Um…yup!" Miaka grinned, resting her head on the back of Draika's chair. "You seem very unaccustomed to social interaction."  
  
"Yeah." Draika mumbled. "I don't plan to get that used to it in the near future." She did appreciate the chatter in a small, far-off corner of her mind, but it was getting annoying very quickly.  
  
"That's really too bad." Miaka sighed. "It's really something, you know?" She watched (silent for once) as Draika stood and left. "Hm…what a nice girl." She mused, flopping into the armchair.  
  
Draika tossed the package onto her bed, suddenly realizing that another trunk was placed at the foot of the next four-poster. Bending down to read the label, she was halfway surprised to see it was named as Zabini, Miaka's. She sighed, looking into the fire. What she wouldn't give for a pinch of Floo powder. After several minutes of completely pointless silent complaining and glowering at the torches, Draika put on her coat. Sraelyth had said to meet him, and she still would. If Ardror wanted to stop her, he would.  
  
Striding quickly out of the common room before Miaka could spot her, Draika tried her hardest to remain inconspicuous. There was a close call with Peeves, but luckily he was too busy drawing glasses and moustaches on statues with permanent ink to notice her.   
  
The cold air of the night was more than welcomed, a relieving change from the stuffy air of the dungeons. With quick and confident steps, Draika made her way through the now knee-deep snow towards the forest. Pulling her hood over her head to keep the snow out of her hair, she grimaced. There had to be some way to keep her feet from freezing…there was probably some kind of charm, but Draika knew she wouldn't ever look it up.  
  
A sound. She froze, listening. Something had crunched particularly loud upon the snow behind her…close enough to make her feel uneasy. Quickening her pace, she passed behind Hagrid's hut into the forest. It wasn't much different, save for the total darkness. Something was now ahead of her…someone was saying something… There was a small light penetrating the darkness.   
  
Draika ducked behind a tree in case someone was coming, but the voices didn't seem to be moving. A pained cry pierced the air. She halted. She was no hero…she didn't want to save anyone. But then again, she wasn't exactly someone who'd want to run from danger. Quite the opposite, really. With a start, she began to run through the snow. It wasn't really a run, more like the large leaps and bounds of an animal. But it worked.  
  
Panting, Draika once again hid behind a tree. She could see the face of neither man. One was standing over the other, who was doubled over in the snow.  
  
"I gave you a warning, Dissendi. Did I not?"   
  
"O.L…what he's doing could ruin LIVES. The school…"  
  
"I don't CARE about the school! There is only his task, and his goals. You have stuck your nose in where it is likely to be blown to bits…"  
  
"You watch it, or I'll-"  
  
"You'll what? May I remind you, I once again have a wand…your wand, in fact? It will do quite nicely until mine is returned…"  
  
"You don't have the guts to kill me."  
  
"Oh, of course not!" The standing man mocked the injured one. "But I don't need guts, as you'll see. Avada Kedavra!" The spell was hissed out almost happily.  
  
Draika shielded her eyes as a burst of blinding green light nearly blinded her. Stumbling, she peered closer. The man shuddered, keeling over. Dead. Suppressing the urge to vomit, she took several deep breaths. O.L…who was O.L? Who had those initials? If that's what they even were…maybe it was something like TJ.  
  
"Who's there?!" O.L. whirled around. His face was obscured by a large hood, the rest of his body swathed in a billowing cloak. "My wand…you have my wand. I can feel it!"  
  
Draika backed away, trying not to make a sound. She could just get back to the castle. Easy.  
  
"Accio wand!" He snarled.   
  
Draika felt a tugging on her coat…for a horrible moment she thought she would fall and be swept into the cloaked man..but then she grabbed the wand, tossing it away from her.  
  
"Ah…" He said, leaving the dead man's wand lying in the snow. "At last." O.L. continued to cast his gaze around, searching. Draika bit her tongue to keep from keening in horror, a sudden instinct. She didn't want to die. Or did she? Wasn't she miserable enough, that she'd wished for death hundreds of times before?  
  
The man seemed intent on finding her, not hampered at all by the cold or drifting snow. Draika flinched.  
  
~Now or never…~ She thought, and couldn't help but roll her eyes at the silly cliché. With a lunge she began to bound forwards, moving around behind the man. It called up a vague memory of predator and prey from somewhere inside her. Letting out a bellow that might have wakened the dead Draika leapt at the figure's unguarded back, digging her claws into the volumous robes.  
  
He stumbled, but somehow managed to remain standing, quickly acting to remove the manic girl from his back. A blow caught Draika on the side of her head, but she only dug in her talons more resolutely, screeching and yelling until her voice was far past hoarse. The world spun, and she found herself staring up at the sky with all her wind knocked out. What had happened?   
  
"You lose, wand thief." The man loomed into view. He obviously favored his right side, but still managed to be a threatening shadow. "Easier to attack than to run, I see.." He sneered, leaning down.  
  
Draika curled her legs on top of her, hugging her knees close. Even then she didn't know if he was set on killing her. Perhaps there would be torture before death. He might get arrogant…but anyone that could kill someone without batting an eye would certainly be intelligent…it took brains to learn to reject emotion.  
  
A wave of anger swept through Draika. She didn't even know his identity, but she was already picking him apart. Time to go. She kicked out with both talons, knocking him off his feet just long enough for her to spring up and dart away. She had rejected death, but still could not fathom why.   
  
Fear once again reached in, taking over. She ran and ran and ran and ran…but not once did the castle come into view. A chilling thought gripped her: What if she was going deeper into the forest? She'd have to double back and get past him before even thinking about getting home…  
  
Home. The word struck an odd chord in Draika. She really DID think the castle was home…just after a few months. Lambaskian's had never been home. Romania had never been home. What was so different about Hogwarts? What was it?  
  
~No time for questions. Silly, stupid, pointless questions that will never have answers.~ Even in a panic, her mind had not lost its trenchant edge. ~Yes. Run!~   
  
Draika glanced behind her. She didn't see O.L…but he would probably catch up fast. Very fast. Hoping that he wasn't hidden in the shadows nearby, she deserted the faint path and began to climb a large softwood pine to get a better view of things.   
  
Something grabbed onto her hair, tugging. Draika bit back a scream, not relinquishing her grip in the tree's soft bark. When the pressure did not return, she looked back down. A horseish thing had a grip on her cloak, probably after deciding her hair wasn't the best way to get her down. Its body was impossibly thin and bony. The eyes were the most unbelievable, though…pure white, without a trace of any pupil or shading. It sported large black dragon's wings, and Draika could see fangs poking out of its mouth.  
  
-You must get away.- It stated, tugging her again.  
  
Draika was so shocked that her grip was loose enough for her to be yanked to the ground. It was always surprising when an animal talked to you first.  
  
"Of course I need to get away! This place is so confusing. I don't know what to think." Draika scrambled to her feet, looking up at the horseish being.  
  
-The thestrals of the Forbidden Forest will be glad to help you.- He said in the same misty tones.  
  
"…thestral." Draika blinked. "You…really do exist, then…."  
  
-Yes. I am Drokaal.-  
  
"Um…shouldn't we hurry?"  
  
-Undoubtedly.-  
  
Somehow Drokaal's simple phrases managed to be calming, and Draika hastily clambered onto his back. With no sound he took flight, and she could hear the frustrated cries of her pursuer.  
  
"I don't care where you take me, I can't go back!" She leaned forwards, trying to steer. "Wait…where are we going?"  
  
-Back.-  
  
"Back? No!" She growled in frustration. "It's too confusing there! I don't know what to think."  
  
-Life is confusing.- The twinkly lights of the castle appeared in the distance.  
  
"No! You stupid animal!" Drokaal turned his head around, and Draika was instantly sorry. "I'm…I mean…I…"  
  
-I know.- He nodded. -But we are going back.- With as much silence as before, he landed lightly in front of the castle. -Use the passage you came in by.-  
  
"I…thanks." She said lamely, scuffing her talon on the snowy ground. "Do I have to?"  
  
-I would advise as much. He still roams the forest.- With that, Drokaal sprang into the air, quickly disappearing among the clouds.  
  
Draika watched him disappear before turning hesitantly into the castle, making her way to bed. Miaka was already asleep, hugging an enormous teddy. Trying not to disturb the girl, she crawled into her own bed.  
  
***  
  
It was a chilly morning in the dungeons two weeks later when Draika blinked sleepily, looking over at Miaka's bed. Classes had become steadily harder, and her own problems hadn't helped…stupid school. Then she remembered it was Christmas. Not that she expected anything, really. Hardly wanting to hope, she snuck a glance at the foot of her bed.  
  
A few small packages and a bigger box sat there, as if waiting. Draika's heart leapt, and she bounced out of bed to examine them. Miaka was already up, watching her with an expression of silent amusement. The two girls had become a bit closer…Draika no longer tried to avoid her, and Miaka was steadily improving the annoying bit.  
  
"Go on, they won't bite." Miaka said, laughing. "Look what mum's given me!" She brought out a large box. Upon closer inspection, Draika saw it was filled with candy.  
  
"Wow." She commented, turning to her first package, from Linwe. A beautiful cloak of feathers fell onto her lap, obviously made from the moltings of various gryphons. With a smile, Draika realized that the little gryphon must have made this herself.  
  
"Whoa." Miaka leaned over. "Lucky! I'll bet this'll repel hexes. Here, put it on, we'll try it out."  
  
"Uh…" Draika didn't have time to argue as she was hauled to her feet. She hastily put it on. It dragged the ground, and the hood was nice and big. "How about later?"  
  
"Sure." Miaka shrugged. "Just wanted to try. Open the rest…I love watching people open presents! Oooh…open this one!" She shoved a smallish bag into Draika's arms. "It's from me!"  
  
"…okay…" Draika opened it warily, pulling out a small necklace. From the black cord hung a cat's eye stone held by a talon. She stared at it a moment before putting it on. It fit like a choker. "Wow…" She beamed. "This is…nice."  
  
"Eeee!" Miaka squealed happily. "I just knew you'd like it!"  
  
"I..I didn't really get you anything." Draika admitted. "…maybe I could pay for butterbeers in the Three Broomsticks?"  
  
"Oooh…that'd be cool." Miaka admitted. "It's okay. I know you don't do much shopping. Open the last one."  
  
Draika sighed, but smiled. What an odd duck. The third was actually more of a box than a package…it was unmarked, but she knew it must be from Sraelyth.  
  
"Oh…" With a gasp, she lifted out a cage. In it sat a large owl with inky black feathers. She hooted sleepily, large golden eyes surveying the two girls with interest. "An owl…" She had never really wanted an owl, but it really is odd how you would love any present from someone special, even something like socks.  
  
"Cuuuute!" Miaka hopped up and down. Draika laughed, unlatching the cage. The owl flew out, landing on Draika's shoulder. "What are you going to name him?"  
  
Draika blinked, studying the owl closely. The bird hooted again, fluttering her tail.  
  
"Tomonari."  
  
----------------  
  
So sorry to keep you waiting for this chapter! I had camp for two weeks, and got back Friday! *does camp dance* Thank you very much to Kaeru Soyokaze (Kia!) for the thestral suggestion. So…review, review, review! 


	17. Frozen

I apologize greatly for my lassitude in updating. Onwards!  
  
=====  
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Sixteen: Frozen  
  
"Tomonari?" Miaka blinked. "Strange."  
  
"Just like you." Draika retorted, watching her owl contemplatively. "Pretty, isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah." Miaka turned, examining her tousled red hair in a small pocket mirror. "So, are you going to the dance?"  
  
"Hm?" Draika asked absently, moving Tomonari's cage to rest beside her trunk at the foot of her four-poster. "What dance?"  
  
"What dance?" Miaka repeated, in almost-certain horror. "What dance?! THE dance. The Christmas dance. Where do you live? Do you live here?"  
  
"I hope so." Draika sighed, rolling her eyes. "I forgot, that's all."  
  
"Forgot."  
  
"Yeah." The girl continued to situate her owl's cage, deliberately not looking up at her friend. "And no, I don't think I'm going to go."  
  
"Why not? You could go with Blaise. He wouldn't mind." Miaka grinned as Draika finally looked up.  
  
"…yeah?"  
  
"You really are Ms. Oblivious, aren't you?"  
  
"Yeah, sure, Miaka." Draika rolled her eyes. "I just don't want to go. I won't like it, I know."  
  
"You've never gone, so how could you know?"   
  
Miaka's bounciness was really starting to get on Draika's nerves. Her hand twitched, and Tomonari's cage clattered to the floor. The owl gave an indignant hoot, fixing his regal stare on Draika.  
  
-Be careful, please.- He intoned.  
  
"Er…no problem." Draika hastily, putting the cage back where it had been.  
  
"What?" Miaka frowned momentarily, unable to keep up the expression for long. " 'No problem' what?"  
  
"Nothing." Draika muttered. "If I go to the stupid dance, will you shut up?"  
  
Not one bit offended, Miaka grinned, nearly knocking the other girl off her feet in a tackle-ish sort of hug. "Yup! But no promises, okay?" She bounced off down the stairs.  
  
Suddenly chilled, Draika wrapped the feathered cloak around herself more tightly, sitting down on her bed. It was freezing in the dungeons. She was sleepy…she'd be warm back in bed, surely?  
  
-Cold blood.- She heard Tomonari comment vaguely before she drifted off into dreams of numbing silver mist.  
  
***  
  
"…don't know…this morning…"  
  
"…ice….Snape…"  
  
"…ruddy owl….feathers…"  
  
"…hand…freezing!"  
  
Draika squinted her eyes open, suppressing a convulsive shiver. The world was moving…she felt herself swaying a bit, as if in a hammock…she blinked, her surroundings coming into sharper focus. She realized she was being carried by her hands and feet by two people, swaying a bit as they tried to keep her from hitting her head. It was cold…cold all over…  
  
"Here…the next left." The sharp words buzzed in her ears, hurting like a sharp pinprick.  
  
"Where…" She said, trying out her voice. When her transporters failed to take notice of her, she took a deep breath.  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"  
  
The person carrying her arms screamed, dropping her promptly. Whoever held her feet had stopped completely, still holding her ankles resolutely.  
  
"….owwww…" She lifted a shivering arm to rub her head, barely making out Miaka's wide eyes. "…where?"  
  
"There was no cause to shout like that." A reprimanding voice said. Hermione set the girl's talons down, folding her arms as she looked down at Draika. "We were just taking you to the hospital wing, you know."  
  
"Why…is she here?" Draika hissed between chattering teeth, glaring up at the Gryffindor girl.  
  
"Because she was the only one I could find. Besides, she's really smart. She says that you shouldn't be sleeping in the dungeons during the winter if your blood has changed, too…"  
  
If she had the strength, Draika would have leapt up to strangle her friend.  
  
"Blood?"  
  
"Of course." Hermione said with a sniff. "Your dragon blood."  
  
Miaka smiled. "See? She's sharp."  
  
"You…told? Knew?"  
  
"I knew since I took you to the hospital wing. Just let me tell you…" Hermione picked up Draika's feet again as Miaka took Draika's arms again. "…those bloody gryphons saved your life, AGAIN. You'd better thank them."  
  
Draika reflected upon the cloak. Everything was still so cold…had someone left any doors open?  
  
"S'cold…" She repeated, antsy now that the carrying had begun again. "S'bloody c-cold…"  
  
Hermione's eyes narrowed, but she managed to smile. "Just relax."  
  
Miaka grinned, seemingly oblivious to Draika's differences. Though her outward appearance seemed knowing about it, she really was in the dark. Stupid girl. *laughs*  
  
Draika wanted to wrap her arms around herself and cuddle into her cloak, but Miaka's stronghold on her wrists prevented that in the worst way. A black shape darted above. Hermione saw where the girl was looking, and nodded.  
  
"Your owl's been in a right state ever since Miaka dragged you up. Molted something awful on my robes, little down feathers…" Draika squinted, seeing several tufts of grey-white insulation feathers.  
  
"We're going to find someone." Hermione kept talking, more to keep Draika awake than for anything. "Everyone's outside, or getting ready."  
  
"You…goin'?"  
  
"Yes, I am. I don't have anyone to go with, of course, but I'm pretty sure everyone's expected to attend, and I don't want to get in trouble…"  
  
At that point Draika zoned out on Hermione's chatter, swaying heavily between the two of them. She felt them stop, and heard hushed voices speaking urgently. She caught a few words, but nothing that her numbed brain could decipher. She could hear, and she knew they were making words, but she was too tired to translate them. She felt her transporters heft her a little higher, then let go as someone else took the heavy burden that was her.  
  
It was a lot nicer to be carried in arms rather than in mid-air…more warmth. Draika's toes curled into the middle of her talons as she drifted off again, only to be reawakened minutes later as she was hoisted into a bed. The sheets were ice-cold…she shuddered, drawing her cloak around her with stiff arms, burying her face under the hood to accumulate her breath for warmth.  
  
Then it was quiet. Someone placed something heavy over her and she shifted, unaccustomed to the weight.  
  
-Cold blood, dear. Frozen blood.-  
  
She laid there for what seemed like ages, sleep always just out of her reach. Sometimes she heard things, low voices…or was it just the wind? She couldn't see much from her little peephole out of the blankets. A few times the bed sagged, like someone was sitting on it or placing something there for a moment.  
  
-Sraelyth will be so happy.-  
  
The owl's mentioning of Sraelyth immediately perked her up. Draika flexed her fingers one at a time. Satisfied with the results, she rustled a wing. Immediately she heard more voices, clearer than she could ever remember hearing in her life. Something smelled delicious…dinner in the great hall? But it couldn't be time for the dance yet…she tried to lift her head, earning a sharp crack from her neck.  
  
"…grrr…" She rubbed the sore spot, propping herself up with her cloaked arms. It felt much warmer now, almost too warm. But anything was better than that soul-freezing mist. Tomonari moved a bit to one side, watching Draika with both eyes.  
  
-Don't overdo it, now…- His tone sounded almost mocking.  
  
"Shut it." Draika grumbled, but couldn't help grinning at the owl. It was always easier to talk to animals. Looking around slowly, she saw it couldn't have been past three or so in the afternoon. No one seemed to be about, but she could hear laughter, faint footsteps crunching on freshly fallen snow…the smells were delicious! Meats, all different kinds. The smell of puddings, cakes, and aromatic teas made her mouth water.   
  
Keeping the numerous blankets she'd woken up under curled tightly around her shoulders, Draika stood up, testing her legs. They were much better than her arms, like they hadn't been in the mist…she shook her head, turning to meet Tomonari's stare, and then to follow it to the door of Madam Pomfrey's office, where three figures stood. One, of course, was Madam Pomfrey, looking slightly irked at the concept of a patient out of bed without permission. The second, to Draika's puzzlement, was Miaka…and the third was unmistakably the headmaster Dumbledore, with his crystalline blue eyes behind half moon glasses and long silvery hair.  
  
"…hello, Miaka…Madam Pomfrey…er…Headmaster…" She could not help but look down at the floor, not sure what she was supposed to do--if anything at all. The Headmaster and nurse exchanged a brief glance. Draika ground her teeth for a moment, not able to stand the silence much longer. "…I was just…going."  
  
Tomonari fluttered up to her shoulder, finding easy purchase on the many blankets that draped his friend. Encouraged by the silence of the two adults, Draika began to walk out of the hospital wing. A quiet sound of movement behind her made her whirl around; nearly unseating Tomonari, who hooted loudly as he pecked Draika's ear in reprimand.  
  
Neither Dumbledore nor Pomfrey had moved from their position, but something still made Draika uneasy. Taking a deep breath, she turned back and sat down on the bed resolutely.  
  
"What is it?" She asked. What was with all the silent crap? And where had Miaka gone? She could've sworn the girl was just there. "Where'd Miaka go?"  
  
"You won't need those blankets." Madam Pomfrey moved forward, breaking the spell of near-nausea that had settled over the ward. She removed all the blankets after Tomonari gave up his soft perch reluctantly, settling for a less steady grip of oily feathers. "That cloak'll work just fine. Stay out of the dungeons from now on."  
  
"What about Miaka?"  
  
Dumbledore sat down beside her, still staring off into space. He slowly turned his face to look at her, and Draika was surprised to see that his eyes were sad.  
  
"Draika…we have never had a student in Hogwarts by the name of Miaka Zabini." He seemed unsure what to say to such a child, the first time something had been this hard for him in a very long time. "To tell you the bluntest truth…she never really existed at all."  
  
Draika almost laughed. "That's the funniest thing I've ever heard…she was just right here. She helped carry me down to the hospital wing…she was in all my classes…"  
  
Madam Pomfrey had retreated to her office once again.  
  
"But isn't it odd, Draika, that a second-year would share classes with a fifth-year? And be able to go into Hogsmeade without detection?" Dumbledore was almost sorry for what he was saying.  
  
"…she bought me a Christmas present…" Draika clutched the metal talon on the cord around her neck, lifted it to look through the clear red gemstone it held. "…she got Hermione when I…"  
  
"She was never really real."  
  
"That can't be true…look at what she's done…" Draika choked on a sob, nearly biting her tongue in half to keep back the tears. But she knew it was true. Not once had a teacher called on Miaka to answer a question. Not once had any other student acknowledged her presence. "…she carried me." Another thought went through her mind. "Was she a…a ghost?"  
  
"Of sorts." The Headmaster replied. "Sort of like a solid ghost…an imaginary, solid ghost…"  
  
"So…I made her up? But…how…why didn't Hermione notice…?"  
  
"We are not here to unravel the workings of the supernatural, Draika." He tried to smile. "Many questions will never be answered." He stood slowly, very old again. "You may go."  
  
"…am I crazy?" She asked quietly as he left. He did not hear her, and Tomonari had no comment.  
  
***  
  
Her trunk was brough to a tower room, long unused. A large window covering the whole south wall let the unfamiliar sunlight stream in, dancing rainbows across the opposite wall. It was very pretty, Draika supposed. She might even come to appreciate it, if the opportunity to do so ever arrived. A large portion of the window was a glass door, leading out into nothing. Unlit torches adorned the other three walls, vaguely haunting in their emptiness. The ceiling curled up in a slanted sort of way, fitting into the tower almost perfectly.  
  
By the time it got dark, the smells of all varieties of food coming from the kitchens was too much to ignore. Letting Tomonari out to fly to the Owlery, Draika exited the tower room. The staircase was long; many portraits and nonsensical paintings hung from the walls at random intervals. One in particular caught her eye…a black horse with dragon's wings, so bony, no muscle…it stood in a dark forest, looking around impatiently. Then it turned, looking straight at her with those white, dead eyes…  
  
Draika bolted down the staircase, nearly breaking both her legs in her haste to escape from the suddenly smothering ambiance of the winding, sloping path. She did not stop until she reached the giant doors to the great hall. 


	18. Breaking Out

Well…for that last couple chapters, I haven't done shoutouts. I mean…what's the POINT?! But I think poor Kia needs recognition…I give you recognition, Kia! ^^ *gives small box filled with recognition* Enjoy! Bah…I think when Inuki came back, my purple Lapras left…;-;…I'm having the hardest time with this story. RRRRGH! *beats characters to a bloody pulp*…meep? ^^;;  
  
==============  
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Seventeen: Breaking Out  
  
The Great Hall was decorated to its Christmasy best. Candles were practially everywhere…a giant tree stood at one end of the hall, framed by lots of little circular tables. The teacher's table had remained unmoved, but the House tables were gone, in their place a wooden dance floor. Draika twitched, hoping no one would want to dance with her. She quickly chose an empty table and sat down, studying the menu in front of her. It all seemed rather over-the-top, she thought to herself as a reindeer-drawn sleigh was seen zipping across the cloudy ceiling.  
  
Draika sighed, shaking her head. Most of the students had found places to sit by the time she started to really think about food. For lack of any other open places, a nervous-looking Ravenclaw boy took the other chair at her table, turning it around so he could talk to his friends. She rolled her eyes, tapping a claw on the menu's laminated front. After what seemed like a very long time, the Great Hall fell silent as the teachers all sat down. Dumbledore gave no opening speech, simply nodded towards them and smiled, like he was saying "please, continue."  
  
The chatter quickly picked up again as students placed orders from their menus. Draika squinted at hers, not noticing when the Ravenclaw boy finally picked up the chair and moved it to his friends' table, too stupid to be polite anymore. To her surprise - and even horror to a point - Draika realized the words were much too blurry for her to read. But everything else was perfect…why couldn't she read the damn print? Nearly chucking the menu onto the just-waxed dance floor…but she didn't, for the sake of maintaining dignity.  
  
"Steak." She addressed the object, having observed the students long enough to not be ignorant about the process of ordering. "And water." No reason to say please. It was just a stupid piece of laminated paper.  
  
A moment later the food appeared on her plate and in her goblet. Draika hadn't really realized how starving she was…she hadn't eaten anything all day. The steak was juicy and red; thus gone in a brief period of time. She watched couples drift onto the dance floor as she sipped at the tall glass of water, crunching the cubes of ice between her teeth like paper through a shredder. The soft, relaxing music had no obvious source, but no one seemed to care.  
  
After she was done with her plate, Draika began the monotonous task of watching everyone. Some were on the dance floor, some were sitting with friends, and a few were sitting just like she was…watching. Swallowing the last of the ice - it burned her stomach like fire - she stood. Not because she wanted to dance, or to talk to anyone. It was Crevyl. She couldn't see him, but he was close.  
  
-What are you doing?- She tried to speak to him, sitting back down shakily. -Where are you?- The thought didn't seem to want to go through, like a busy signal. In the background, the indifferent, euphonius music continued. So annoying…  
  
-Stay out of my mind.- The thought was harsh, a whip to her brain. Draika nearly fell out of her chair, but clung to the table's soft wood with her claws. -It is no place for you.- Slowly the presence in her mind receded, the cold hatred of Crevyl's presence gone.   
  
Something was happening, she knew it. Couldn't ignore it. Different minds drifted around her, each more unfamiliar than the next. Sraelyth was there, and Domar. Drokaal and the other thestrals. An innocent-hearted unicorn paraded proudly with them. Many, many other things…evil things, things that lurked in shadow and slithered on the ground and…  
  
"Hey." Blaise pulled up a chair, having no idea of what might be going through Draika's head. "Pretty boring, huh? Maybe later they'll play something other than this dreadful cacophony." He winced, grinning. "Do you dance?"  
  
"I don't think I do." She replied, staring at her empty glass. A moment later it was filled with iced water. Draika blinked, surprised. "Smart house-elves." She commented, crunching another unfortunate ice cube in her mouth.  
  
"They'd better be, or else they wouldn't be at Hogwarts." Blaise leaned back, watching the couples. "It's too bad you don't dance, it would really be nice to be more than a wallflower, hm?"  
  
"Yeah." A swift-moving form that hinted at being lupine ran low to the ground, darting into the shadows. Werewolf? Draika shuddered. Owls, crows, snakes…everything was alive, moving…the gryphons down below were restless too, they knew something would happen…  
  
Blaise was saying something. "…haven't seen you around…"  
  
"…haven't spent a lot of time in the dormitories." Draika offered lamely. Spiders and other many-legged things were crawling along the ground..she could almost feel them on her skin. And Blaise kept talking. And talking. He talked while she heard the creatures whisper, felt their terror and loathing. It was coming.  
  
-What is it?- She tried to reach out to them, but they didn't hear. -Tomonari? What's happening?- For the first time in her life, she could say she was truly afraid. As the happy students milled around ignorantly in the Great Hall, she alone feared the outdoors that night.  
  
-It is very bad. Very bad…don't go anywhere, stay inside, Sraelyth's coming…-  
  
-Sraelyth? Is he coming to help?- All the animals were skittish, frightened..even the tough ones.  
  
-It's bad, Draika…stay inside, don't try to find out…- Tomonari's voice was hurried and fragmented. -…I'm going, the owls…we..-  
  
-Hey! HEY!- Draika squinted, trying to keep focus with the owl…but he was gone somewhere Draika couldn't reach him.  
  
"…see that?" Blaise laughed, pointing at someone who had probably just fallen on their face. For once, Draika didn't care.  
  
"Would you shut the hell up?!" She shouted, leaping up. Her hands shook so badly from anger; fear; annoyance…the list only grew. "I don't care. So just be quiet…quiet." If looks could kill, and I'm pretty sure they could if anyone had enough power, Blaise would have been a pile of ashes in moments. "Just…stop it."  
  
-I'm sick of you all.- She said, trying to broadcast to every single animal in range. -All of you. Die, for all I care. Just…leave me alone.-  
  
Draika must have been something awful to look at, because Blaise nearly choked on his next mocking sentence. His mouth opened and then shut again. For once, the great smartass was lost for words.  
  
"Get - out - of - my - sight." She snarled, still glaring. Many other students had stopped to watch the commotion, some of them beginning to drift away as they anticipated something horrible to break out.  
  
-Cowards.- Draika thought as she noted their rereatings. She could still feel it…the horrible, wonderful sensation of connection with the creatures. Individuals, now. She felt Drokaal's reserve, Sraelyth's rage, even Hedwig's scolding nature. They were coming…or something…  
  
"It's coming." She whispered, forgetting all about her earlier temper. She felt the adrenaline begin to rush through her veins….very soon…  
  
She was deaf to the first crash, lost in a dizzying spiral of mist. It was impossible, however, for even her to ignore the horrible sounds..outrage, fear, danger…sounds only she could hear. Shattering glass and screams reverbrated the very air around her, the more tangible aspects of sound making her head pound. But who…? She blinked, vision blurring momentarily as her pupils dilated, heart pumping. What was the new threat?  
  
-Sraelyth?-  
  
"RUN!" The cry seemed to be unanimous. Students scattered everywhere as the dragon roared his fury, shooting bursts of flame at their retreating backs. Dumbledore had immediately abandoned the plate of pork chops, anger glinting in his crystal blue eyes. Though the Peruvian Vipertooth was the smallest specie of dragon, the largest topping twenty feet by maturity, Sraelyth was an impressive sight.  
  
Draika stood there, immobilized. She felt the same fury running through her blood, though nowhere near as dangerous as her friend. Someone crashed into her, sending her over a table laden with food and onto the floor behind Sraelyth.  
  
That did it. Draika leapt up, scanning about for the offender…he would pay.  
  
"Look out!" Someone grabbed her, dragging her away from Sraelyth. "That thing'll kill us all if we don't get out!" Miaka held her friend's arms tightly, and Draika reflected once again on Dumbledore's words.  
  
"Get away!" She shoved the…the thing. "You…you don't exist!" Even in the midst of the deafening roars and panicked shouts, she was able to look past all else to what she wanted to see. "…you're not real…" She wanted to die, to curl up in a little ball and sink into obscurity.  
  
-Don't go anywhere, Draika.- Sraelyth told her, shooting a warning jet of flame in the headmaster's direction. The other teachers were trying to keep order, the Heads of houses attempting to group their students together. Some of the older students were standing silently as Draika had been, and she knew they wanted to help fight the beast.  
  
Miaka looked sad. As her big expressive eyes welled up with tears, Draika felt a twinge of remorse…but quickly pushed it away.  
  
"You heard me." She choked out, deaf to her own words. "…get."  
  
"But.." Miaka blinked, still so childlike. She began to drift apart, as thin as mist…her last word lingered in Draika's mind for what could have been ages.  
  
"Why?"  
  
Draika shuddered. It seemed so surreal all of a sudden…the dragon, the Great Hall, the screams…like a dream.  
  
"V'tana, get out of it!" Someone was trying to get her attention. "Are you crazy?"   
  
She turned, irritated at being interrupted.  
  
"Back off, Draco." She scowled, intentionally irking him by use of his first name. Since the food fight, she'd grown to dislike the boy, in a way she couldn't quite fathom. "Why don't you go fight him, save us all some trouble?"  
  
Before Malfoy could reply, a loud shout from the once solid wall. Snape stood there, trying to restrain a tall boy…but that couldn't be Snape…he was different…shorter…different…it made her head spin.  
  
-It's not right!- She cried to Sraelyth. The Great Hall was in a shambles. Dumbledore stared Sraelyth down on the dance floor. Draco seemed to be frozen in mid-sentence, a frightened look on his face. The Snape-thing held Blaise tightly…Blaise, who was fighting tooth and nail to get free, to get at Sraelyth. He was yelling something quite undecipherable. Though they tried, teachers could not group the students together…and they seemed to be avoiding the fight…why?  
  
-Nothing will ever be right again.- Sraelyth replied, sighing. His lust for battle seemed to have diminished, the great beast now held stance wearily, both eyes fixed on the headmaster. Draika hurt for him. -I can't let them win.- He snarled, making a lunge for the old wizard.  
  
Dumbledore leapt back, nimble for one so old. Draco decided to flee, edging behind a table with a group of skittish second-years. Only a few older students remained unhidden, still thinking they would be the hero, that they could save the school...  
  
~Foolish!~ Draika thought contemptuously. Time seemed to slow…achingly slow…another scream pierced the fog seeping into her mind…Blaise had broken loose from the Snape-thing somehow…he dashed at Sraelyth, wand out… ~Idiot!~  
  
"IDIOT! FOOL! YOU'RE GOING TO DIE!" Draika heard herself shrieking in a pitch unlike her own gravelly voice. It was all wrong…it couldn't be…  
  
Sraelyth turned to face the new threat. His large size prevented him from doing that very quickly, but he was still ready when Blaise reached him. Someone screamed at him, Draika didn't know who. No one rushed forward to stop him…was that supposed to be her job, as someone considered to be his friend? She leaned forwards in an attempt to move, but found her legs unwilling to cooperate. Sraelyth bared his teeth…Draika could almost imagine him laughing.  
  
Blaise had stopped, wand pointed straight at the dragon's face. His eyes were wide, hair mussed…he looked quite mad, Draika thought. Mad with anger…why? He took a staggered breath, raising his wand.  
  
"Lyr--"  
  
"…foolish human." Sraelyth grinned a horrible grin, something that might send a five year old to therapy for twenty years.  
  
-SRAELYTH!- Draika yelled, but he wouldn't listen…she made herself look on.  
  
A sudden flare of heat and light, an agonized scream…a roar of triumph accompanied the smell of charred flesh as the world fell apart. 


	19. Survivor

Well…thank you for reading. This is the final chapter. You can make what you will of the last line…there may be an epilogue. Again, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This story has been a true blessing for me, and I can't think how I would have expressed all the sorrows and tragedies of the past year without you.  
  
You are truly, all of you, my rescuers.  
  
-----------  
  
~Draika~  
  
Chapter Eighteen: Survivor  
  
"Oh my god…" Someone gasped in the brief moment of shock and silence that even Sraelyth fell prey to. A different look had come into the eyes of Draika's friend. Not anger, or lethargy, or even fright. He was, for the first time, emotionless.   
  
Dumbledore watched Sraelyth, wand still raised. The other teachers had still not taken action, even though their task of herding the students was nullified for the brief spot of time. The Snape-thing fell to his--its?--knees, head bowed. Sraelyth raised a claw, and the room took a collective shudder. But he did not strike or roar…he turned, picking up the body. A muffled sound of vomiting reached Draika's ears, but save for that and the scraping of Sraelyth's talons on the hard floor, there was no noise. Instead of leaving, as she expected, he turned again…fixing her with his gaze. Without a word he reached for her, too, tucking her in his forearm. The stench of death even stronger, Draika buried her face in his flesh as she suppressed her own urge to vomit.  
  
No one moved as Sraelyth made his laborious exit out the shattered window, or even after he was well gone. I assure you that they did indeed resume motion at some point in the story, but Draika was not around to see exactly when that event occurred.   
  
Sraelyth flexed his wings open, leaping into the air with seemingly no effort…but Draika knew better by now. The weight of two humans and the drag of night air would have him exhausted by the time they reached…  
  
~What? Where do you think you're going to go now?!~ Her mind mocked. ~Do you really think this can end well? Fool! You're worse than Blaise was. It can never end well.~  
  
The moon was hidden; the stars gone. No light dared show face on the darkest of nights, the darkest in all Sraelyth's memory. The girl would not be safe, ever. Not after what he had prevented.   
  
*But…* He thought *It might have been worse to do nothing at all and then stand idly by as she lived the rest of her days in filth and decay…* He sighed, straining his willpower to stay aloft. It was going to be a long night…  
  
Draika peered out, but at first saw nothing. Then the familiar yellow tint came to her, letting her see just the barest hint of what might be the far edge of the forest…or the near edge? Her mind spun, overtaxed. Too much had happened. But she would not let exhaustion take her this time, one of her worst enemies. She would fight it and win…finally win…  
  
A sharp jerk nearly threw her from Sraelyth's grip, but he held fast to the girl.  
  
"Sorry about that." He grunted, folding his wings after tossing what was left of Blaise behind a tree. He placed Draika on the ground, settling down to her eye level. "But you're safe now."  
  
Rage bubbled up inside of Draika. "I WAS safe! I was safe there! I was…" She stopped. "…I was happy there."  
  
"Were you really?" Sraelyth replied. "Think about it."  
  
Draika thought. She had friends…or did. She had a roof over her head and all the steak she could ever eat. The ability to talk with animals and a room to herself.  
  
"Well…I'm happy with what I have, I guess." She admitted. What was she happy with, anyhow? Everything was so confusing.   
  
The snap of a twig made her start, muscles suddenly tense.  
  
"Don't be alarmed." Sraelyth raised a talon. "It's just my brother."  
  
"…brother?" Draika said disbelievingly, looking at the Snape-thing. For Snape-thing it was, in all its mimicry of Snape. "..him?"  
  
"Hello, wand-thief." The Snape-thing said coldly. "You should have let me kill her…" He said to Sraelyth, eyes darting from dragon to girl so fast it made Draika's head spin.  
  
"Silence, O.L." Sraelyth snapped. "You know that would undo…everything."  
  
"When is someone going to start explaining things?" Draika demanded, dizziness forcing her to sit on the forest floor. They were quite near the edge…which edge it was was still unclear.  
  
"Soon." O.L. huffed, glaring at Sraelyth. "I think I deserve some answers too, brother." He spat, scowling at his surroundings.  
  
"Silence!" Sraelyth growled, baring his fangs at O.L. "Must I tell you again?"  
  
"…no…you mustn't."  
  
Draika had more than a good guess as to who Sraelyth was. She wasn't deaf and dumb, after all, two qualities I trust that you are also lacking.  
  
"When can we get to the bottom of it, Severus?" She asked, heavy-hearted. "You know so much…"  
  
Sraelyth sighed. "You were smarter than I had hoped…allowing you to see my brother was such a mistake, a mistake that should not have happened." He glared at O.L., managing to be livid even in a state of calm. "The gryphons have left, Draika. Without O.L. to plague them, their home is now inhabitable once again."  
  
"…how long was he…you…"  
  
"All year." O.L. kicked at a stone. "Whenever no close contact with you was required, I would pose as your professor. The changes are so minute in him and I, but glaringly obvious to people such as you."  
  
"…I see." Draika forced her face to remain straight. What would this new knowledge mean? Then something Snape said clicked into place. "The gryphons! All of them? When?!" Her heart dropped into her stomach with a sickening splat. Linwe had probably been her only real friend since entering the castle…even Srae--no, Snape. It was Snape now…even he had used her to some extent.   
  
"I had to either stop them or you…and Crevyl is more powerful than either of us could have hoped." Sraelyth closed his eyes for a brief moment, gathering his thoughts. "They meant to take you with them, Draika. I couldn't let that happen."  
  
"The stupid sap feels responsible for you, girl." O.L. rolled his eyes. "You've invoked his long gone sense of duty. Congratulations." The comment fell flat on the crisp winter air.  
  
"That is true." Snape twitched his tail. "And you should not be so ashamed, brother."  
  
"And…Dumbledore…knew?"  
  
"Indeed. He knew it was me, which would account for his lack of taking action tonight. He knew…everything, I suppose. He was aware I was not going to let you leave, and was prepared. The death of the boy…regrettable, but in the past." Something in his tone made Draika suspicious.  
  
"You're still not telling me something!" She nearly yelled, head throbbing.  
  
Snape hesitated, before disappearing in a cloud of black smoke.  
  
"Hey!" O.L. immediately leapt up. "We had a deal, Snape! A DEAL!"  
  
~A deal.~ Draika narrowed her eyes. "What kind of deal?" She turned on O.L, fierce.  
  
The man cowered, hands trembling. "I…I would…we…" He shook his head. "Not so much a deal, but an agreement, a compromise, an allying…we could….help each other to help you…"  
  
"That's not an answer!" She reached out with a clawed hand, squeezing his neck. The rage flowed through her so freely, taking control of her every thought and motion. He twitched, gasping as she pinched his flesh.  
  
"…please…" He collapsed as she let him drop onto the forest floor. "It was all for the best, all of it." O.L. gasped for air, wiping the blood from his neck.  
  
Draika snorted, quickly leaving the weakened man behind as she began to run through the forest almost blindly, searching for Snape. Only he would have the answers, only he could tell her…if he chose to. And if he decided to never be found, he never would. She sighed, dragging her claws along the hard winter bark of an old oak tree.  
  
~I'll bet this has been here for hundreds of years…~ She looked up to its leafy boughs, briefly calmed. ~…before Hogwarts? Before Dumbledore and Sraelyth and everything else that I know?~ A piece of bark came away, falling to the damp earth without a sound, without a complaint.   
  
Trees did not complain. Trees did not try to better their conditions or manipulate others for their own benefit. Trees were selfless, but uncaring. The world went on around them while they stayed, trapped in time, doomed to remain artifices of the land until someone decided that they needed to go. And they would, without complaint. Because trees did not complain.  
  
~Survival of the fittest.~ Draika felt something tug at her heart as she looked up to the sky. The clouds had parted, showing the multitudes of burning stars. And Draika could swear, for just a moment, that she was among them.  
  
A star in the infinite blackness, searching for a reason. She cried, for the first time since she could remember.  
  
The stars cried with her. The tree offered little sympathy, but managed to comfort her with a rough wall to lean against. The animals were gone, her hope faded. Where were the other stars? Should she not be surrounded with joy? The night would not end happily. This she knew, sinking into a defeated crouch upon the frozen ground.  
  
The Potions master of Hogwarts closed his book, which was written in rust-colored ink.  
  
~Goodbye…~ 


End file.
